Abstract:

The bovine milk proteins include casein and whey protein. Lactoferrin (LF) is a whey protein that has a variety
of biological functions. Lactoferrin is widely used in food additive, medical and cosmetic industries. In bovine milk,
lactoferrin is positive to interact with some negatively charged proteins, such as casein and osteopontin, β-lactoglobulin,
immunoglobulin and bovine serum albumin. These interactions can affect the biological functions and purification
characteristics of these proteins; especially the latter has attracted more and more attentions. In the present review, the
mechanism of interactions between lactoferrin and other bovine proteins are clarified, which is important for developing
industrial preparation procedures of LF and understanding the synergistic biological activities of these proteins. This review
will provide some theoretical references for the development of industrial extraction methods of lactoferrin.

Key words: lactoferrin, biological function, interaction, mechanism, application