Anisotropic lipids in the sebaceous glands of the rabbit

✍ Scribed by Montagna, William

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1949
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 618 KB
• Volume: 104
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0003-276X
• DOI: 10.1002/ar.1091040208

✦ Synopsis

The sebaceous glands of the rabbit contain accumulations of anisotropic lipids only in the periphery of the acini. This distribution of anisotropic lipids is not like that found in the glands of the rat, mouse, hamster, dog, and cat, where the birefringence is found in the sebum and in the mature and degenerating sebaceous cells, but not in the peripheral cells. The properties and characterization of these lipids in the rabbit have been studied by the use of Sudans and other oil-soluble substances, and by some cytochemical tests. The peripheral anisotropic lipids represent, at least in part, cholesterol esters. The presence of these lipids in the periphery of sebaceous glands is undoubtedly characteristic of the rabbit. The striking species difference should caution one against drawing too broad generalizations in the study of these glands from one animal form only.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The sebaceous glands were studied from the skin of the external auditory meatus of the rabbit. This region was chosen in preference to others because the glands therein are numerous and active. These glands are sufficiently like