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Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer in water. Latices are found in nature, but synthetic latices are common as well.
In nature, latex is found as a fluid, which is present in 10% of all (angiosperms) and in some Mushroom (especially species of Lactarius). It is a complex emulsion that coagulation on exposure to air, consisting of , , , , Vegetable oil, , , and Natural gum. It is usually exuded after tissue injury. In most plants, latex is white, but some have yellow, orange, or scarlet latex. Since the 17th century, latex has been used as a term for the fluid substance in plants, deriving from the Latin word for "liquid". It serves mainly as defense against Herbivore and Fungivore.Taskirawati, I. and Tuno, N., 2016. Fungal defense against mycophagy in milk caps. Science Report Kanazawa University, 60, pp.1-10. Latex is not to be confused with plant sap; it is a distinct substance, separately produced, and with different functions.
The word latex is also used to refer to natural latex rubber, particularly non-vulcanization rubber. Such is the case in products like latex , latex , latex clothing, and .
The laticiferous system is present in all parts of the mature plant, including roots, stems, leaf, and sometimes the . It is particularly noticeable in the cortical tissues. Latex is usually exuded as a white liquid, but is some cases it can be clear, yellow or red, as in Cannabaceae.
carries with it at the same time such disagreeable properties that it becomes a better protection to the plant from enemies than all the thorns, prickles, or hairs that could be provided. In this plant, so copious and so distasteful has the sap become that it serves a most important purpose in its economy.Evidence showing this defense function include the finding that will eat leaves drained of their latex but not intact ones, that many insects sever the veins carrying latex before they feed, and that the latex of Asclepias humistrata (sandhill milkweed) kills by trapping 30% of newly hatched monarch butterfly caterpillars. This has also been found in fungi, with fewer arthropods infesting latex-producing Lactarius than non-latex-producing Russula. In feeding experiments using Lactarius, Ambigolimax valentianus slugs avoid feeding on mushrooms that are exuding latex.
Other evidence is that latex contains 50–1000× higher concentrations of defense substances than other plant tissues. These include ones that are also toxic to the plant and consist of a diverse range of chemicals that are either poisonous or "Antinutrient"
Latex is actively moved to the area of injury; in the case of Cryptostegia grandiflora, latex more than 70 cm from the site of injury is mobilized. The large hydrostatic pressure in this vine enables an extremely high flow rate of latex. In a 1935 report the botanist Catherine M. Bangham observed that "piercing the fruit stalk of Cryptostegia grandiflora produced a jet of latex over a meter long, and maintained this for several seconds." (1976). 9780124314269, Academic Press, Inc.. ISBN 9780124314269
The clotting property of latex is functional in this defense since it limits wastage and its stickiness traps insects and their mouthparts.
While there exist other explanations for the existence of latex including storage and movement of plant nutrients, waste, and maintenance of water balance that "essentially none of these functions remain credible and none have any empirical support".
Others have a serious latex allergy, and exposure to latex products such as can cause anaphylactic shock. Guayule latex has only 2% of the levels of protein found in Hevea latices, and it is being researched as a lower-allergen substitute. Additionally, chemical processes may be employed to reduce the amount of antigenic protein in Hevea latex, yielding alternative materials such as Vytex Natural Rubber Latex which provide significantly reduced exposure to latex allergens.
About half of people with spina bifida are also allergic to natural latex rubber. People who have had multiple surgeries and who have had prolonged exposure to natural latex are also more susceptible to a latex allergy.
Latex-fruit syndrome
Many people with latex allergy also experience allergic reactions to certain fruits. This association has led to research regarding latex-fruit syndrome (LFS). This is a phenomenon characterized by cross-reactivity between natural latex rubber allergens and certain fruit allergens, leading to allergic reactions in sensitized individuals. It was described for the first time by Blanco et al. in 1994.
In a 2024 comprehensive review by Gromek et al., the last 30 years of research on LFS were summarized, focusing on its prevalence, common cross-reactions, and clinical manifestations. The review found that the prevalence of LFS in latex-allergic patients varies widely, ranging from 4% to 88%, depending on diagnostic methods, geographical regions, and study populations. The most commonly implicated fruits in LFS include banana, avocado, kiwifruit, and papaya. Clinical manifestations are predominantly systemic, with 73% of hypersensitivity symptoms being systemic and 27% localized. Gromek et al. also highlighted the need for standardized diagnostic criteria and severity grading systems to improve the accuracy of LFS diagnosis and treatment.
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