lf

Lf is an abbreviation that may refer to multiple concepts; the meaning depends on context. In biology and nutrition, Lf most commonly denotes lactoferrin, a glycoprotein found in milk and other secretions. Lactoferrin binds iron and helps protect mucosal surfaces; it participates in immune defense by limiting microbial growth and modulating inflammation. It is produced by mammary glands and neutrophils and is studied for potential therapeutic and nutritional applications, including infant formula enrichment and antimicrobial research.

In computing, LF commonly stands for line feed, an ASCII control character with the decimal value 10 that advances a text stream to the next line. Line feed is a fundamental component of newline conventions: Unix-like systems use LF alone for line endings, while Windows uses a carriage return followed by a line feed (CRLF).

Other uses exist in specialized domains, but the two above account for the majority of references in published or digital text. When encountered, the intended meaning is typically clear from context or from capitalization, with LF often indicating line feed in technical writing and Lf pointing to lactoferrin in biological contexts.