The Lipid Secretion of the Meibomian Glands

Abstract

Publisher Summary The outer surface of mammalian skin and hair is covered by the lipid secretion of the sebaceous glands; in birds, this function is fulfilled by the secretion of the large uropygeal or preen gland, sebaceous glands are numerous around all body apertures, and might be modified in form or nature of secretion to suit the special conditions of these sites. Meibomian glands are found in well-developed form in mammals. They appear to be elongated sebaceous glands, embedded in the fibrous tarsal plate of upper and lower eyelids. Meibomian secretions have much in common with sebaceous lipids, and similar analytical techniques can be used for both. Many of these are similar to the techniques that are used for analysis of a variety of other biological lipids; however, the “differentness” of sebaceous-type lipids means that additional methods must be used to cope with chain branching, wax esters of high molecular weight, a variety of unusual steryl esters, complex diesters, and other unique factors.