乳蛋白是人类饮食中重要的动物蛋白质来源。乳腺是合成乳蛋白的主要场所。然而，反刍动物乳腺由血液摄取的游离氨基酸并不能满足乳腺合成蛋白质的需要，动物对完整蛋白质本身或小肽有着特殊需要。近年来，由于小肽优于氨基酸的跨膜转运机制和特殊的生理功能，小肽营养受到越来越多的关注。本文主要从泌乳反刍动物乳腺对小肽的摄取、利用以及影响乳腺小肽摄取利用的因素3个方面进行简要综述。

Milk protein is an important animal protein source for human, and mammary gland is the major organ for milk protein synthesis. However, some free amino acids took up by mammary gland of lactating ruminants are less than their output in the milk. Animals have special needs for proteins or small peptides. Because of their advantageous transmembrane transport system and special physiological function, small peptide nutrition is greatly concerned. Uptake and utilization of small peptides in mammary gland of lactating ruminants and influence factors are briefly reviewed in this paper.［Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition，2011，23（3）：376-380］