Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (776 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Small, sacculated organs found within the dermis. Each gland has a single duct that emerges from a cluster of oval alveoli. Each alveolus consists of a transparent basement membrane enclosing epithelial cells. The ducts from most sebaceous glands open into a hair follicle, but some open on the general surface of the SKIN. Sebaceous glands secrete sebum.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Gland, Sebaceous; Glands, Sebaceous; Sebaceous Gland.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Exocrine Glands; Skin
- Narrower topics
- Meibomian Glands
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 6,480 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Sebaceous Glands” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 1,304 of them (20.1%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 2,897 records.
Reviews account for 694 records (10.7%) and meta-analyses for 28. Randomized controlled trials number 180 (2.8%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 2,897 |
| 2000-2009 | 783 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,496 |
| 2020 onward | 1,304 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 694 | 10.7% |
| Meta-analyses | 28 | 0.4% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 180 | 2.8% |
Method: PubMed query "Sebaceous Glands"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host-microbiome interactions and recent progress into understanding the biology of acne vulgaris | 2018 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 203 | cc by PMID 30285861 · DOI · PMC6169095 |
| Contribution of GATA6 to homeostasis of the human upper pilosebaceous unit and acne pathogenesis | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 58 | cc by PMID 33082341 · DOI · PMC7575575 |
| Human Meibum Cholesteryl and Wax Ester Variability With Age, Sex, and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction | 2019 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 52 | cc by PMID 31112994 · DOI · PMC6530518 |
| Human meibomian gland organoids to study epithelial homeostasis and dysfunction | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 6 | cc by PMID 41206935 · DOI · PMC13429463 |
Host-microbiome interactions and recent progress into understanding the biology of acne vulgaris [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Acne is one of the most common skin diseases worldwide and results in major health care costs and significant morbidity to severely affected individuals.
- Closing excerpt
- In this article, we review recent developments in the interactions of skin microbes with host immunity, discussing the contribution of dysbiosis to the immunobiology of acne and newly emerging skin microbiome-based therapeutics to treat acne.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (237 words)
Acne is one of the most common skin diseases worldwide and results in major health care costs and significant morbidity to severely affected individuals. However, the pathophysiology of this disorder is not well understood. Host-microbiome interactions that affect both innate and adaptive immune homeostasis appear to be a central factor in this disease, with recent observations suggesting that the composition and activities of the microbiota in acne is perturbed. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes; formerly Propionibacterium acnes) are two major inhabitants of the skin that are thought to contribute to the disease but are also known to promote health by inhibiting the growth and invasion of pathogens. Because C. acnes is ubiquitous in sebaceous-rich skin, it is typically labeled as the etiological agent of acne yet it fails to fulfill all of Koch's postulates. The outdated model of acne progression proposes that increased sebum production promotes over-proliferation of C. acnes in a plugged hair follicle, thereby driving inflammation. In contrast, growing evidence indicates that C. acnes is equally abundant in both unaffected and acne-affected follicles. Moreover, recent advances in metagenomic sequencing of the acne microbiome have revealed a diverse population structure distinct from healthy individuals, uncovering new lineage-specific virulence determinants. In this article, we review recent developments in the interactions of skin microbes with host immunity, discussing the contribution of dysbiosis to the immunobiology of acne and newly emerging skin microbiome-based therapeutics to treat acne.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 30285861 · DOI · PMC6169095
Contribution of GATA6 to homeostasis of the human upper pilosebaceous unit and acne pathogenesis [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Although acne is the most common human inflammatory skin disease, its pathogenic mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
- Closing excerpt
- We conclude that GATA6 is involved in regulation of the upper pilosebaceous unit and may be an actionable target in the treatment of acne.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (151 words)
Although acne is the most common human inflammatory skin disease, its pathogenic mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here we show that GATA6, which is expressed in the upper pilosebaceous unit of normal human skin, is down-regulated in acne. GATA6 controls keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation to prevent hyperkeratinisation of the infundibulum, which is the primary pathological event in acne. When overexpressed in immortalised human sebocytes, GATA6 triggers a junctional zone and sebaceous differentiation program whilst limiting lipid production and cell proliferation. It modulates the immunological repertoire of sebocytes, notably by upregulating PD-L1 and IL10. GATA6 expression contributes to the therapeutic effect of retinoic acid, the main treatment for acne. In a human sebaceous organoid model GATA6-mediated down-regulation of the infundibular differentiation program is mediated by induction of TGFβ signalling. We conclude that GATA6 is involved in regulation of the upper pilosebaceous unit and may be an actionable target in the treatment of acne.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33082341 · DOI · PMC7575575
Human Meibum Cholesteryl and Wax Ester Variability With Age, Sex, and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- PurposeRelationships between tear film lipid (TFL) layer composition, structure, and function could provide insight into the etiology of dry eye.
- Closing excerpt
- Observed changes in the meibum content of CE alone is not likely to influence tear film stability.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (237 words)
PurposeRelationships between tear film lipid (TFL) layer composition, structure, and function could provide insight into the etiology of dry eye. The molar ratio of cholesteryl ester (CE)/wax ester (WE) was measured in meibum from normal donors (Mn) and compared with meibum from donors with meibomian gland dysfunction (MMGD).MethodsCE/WE was measured using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.ResultsCE/WE was distributed into two populations with 81% distributed near 0.55 and 19% near 0.3. CE/WE were higher in donors 13 to 19 years old compared with donors 1 to 12 years old and 20 to 88 years old. CE/WE for MMGD was 30% lower, 0.34 ± 0.04, compared with Mn, 0.49 ± 0.04. There were no sex differences in CE/WE. There were no significant racial differences between the CE/WE ratios for Asians and Caucasians. The CE/WE ratio was higher for blacks and lower for Hispanics compared to Caucasians. Due to the small number sampled, confirmation of the later racial results is needed. The packing of CE and WE in the TFL layer was proposed.ConclusionsAlthough MMGD contains much less CE than Mn, factors other than the CE content, such as the levels of saturation and/or proteins, may be responsible for the higher order of MMGD. In addition to saturation, CE could contribute to the increase in order of Mn between 0 and 20 years of age. Observed changes in the meibum content of CE alone is not likely to influence tear film stability.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 31112994 · DOI · PMC6530518
Human meibomian gland organoids to study epithelial homeostasis and dysfunction [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Meibomian glands (MGs) are holocrine glands that secrete lipids to maintain the homeostasis of the ocular surface, and their dysfunction leads to dry eye disease.
- Closing excerpt
- In summary, this study established an organoid platform to explore epithelial homeostasis and dysfunction of MGs, facilitating drug development and regenerative medicine for dry eye disease.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (151 words)
Meibomian glands (MGs) are holocrine glands that secrete lipids to maintain the homeostasis of the ocular surface, and their dysfunction leads to dry eye disease. Herein, we established long-term 3D organoid culture for murine and human MGs, which retained the cell lineages and lipid-producing ability. The organoids mimicked the drug treatment responses and generated functional MGs after orthotopic transplantation. Inspired by organoid cultures, we found FGF10 eye drops could rescue all-trans retinoic acid-induced MG dysfunction in mice. Besides, nicotinamide uniquely hampered the human MG organoid expansion by inhibiting FGF10 signaling. Single-cell atlas and lipidome not only aligned the delineated cell types and featured lipids between human MGs and organoids, but also highlighted MAPK signaling inhibition enhanced acinar cell differentiation and functional maturation of MG organoids. In summary, this study established an organoid platform to explore epithelial homeostasis and dysfunction of MGs, facilitating drug development and regenerative medicine for dry eye disease.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41206935 · DOI · PMC13429463
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the subcommittee on anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of the meibomian gland [5]
- Research article The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the diagnosis subcommittee [6]
- Research article The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the definition and classification subcommittee [7]
- Research article The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the subcommittee on the epidemiology of, and associated risk factors for, MGD [8]
- Research article The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the subcommittee on management and treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction [9]
- Research article Revisiting the vicious circle of dry eye disease: a focus on the pathophysiology of meibomian gland dysfunction [10]
References
- O'Neill AM, Gallo RL. Host-microbiome interactions and recent progress into understanding the biology of acne vulgaris. . 2018. PMID 30285861 · DOI · PMC6169095
- Oulès B, Philippeos C, Segal J, Tihy M, Vietri Rudan M, Cujba AM, et al.. Contribution of GATA6 to homeostasis of the human upper pilosebaceous unit and acne pathogenesis. . 2020. PMID 33082341 · DOI · PMC7575575
- Borchman D, Ramasubramanian A, Foulks GN. Human Meibum Cholesteryl and Wax Ester Variability With Age, Sex, and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. . 2019. PMID 31112994 · DOI · PMC6530518
- Yu C, Wan X, Wei J, Xu Z, Wu X, Wang X, et al.. Human meibomian gland organoids to study epithelial homeostasis and dysfunction. . 2026. PMID 41206935 · DOI · PMC13429463
- Knop E, Knop N, Millar T, Obata H, Sullivan DA. The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the subcommittee on anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of the meibomian gland. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011. PMID 21450915 · DOI · PMC3072159
- Tomlinson A, Bron AJ, Korb DR, Amano S, Paugh JR, Pearce EI, et al.. The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the diagnosis subcommittee. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011. PMID 21450918 · DOI · PMC3072162
- Nelson JD, Shimazaki J, Benitez-del-Castillo JM, Craig JP, McCulley JP, Den S, et al.. The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the definition and classification subcommittee. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011. PMID 21450914 · DOI · PMC3072158
- Schaumberg DA, Nichols JJ, Papas EB, Tong L, Uchino M, Nichols KK. The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the subcommittee on the epidemiology of, and associated risk factors for, MGD. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011. PMID 21450917 · DOI · PMC3072161
- Geerling G, Tauber J, Baudouin C, Goto E, Matsumoto Y, O'Brien T, et al.. The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the subcommittee on management and treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011. PMID 21450919 · DOI · PMC3072163
- Baudouin C, Messmer EM, Aragona P, Geerling G, Akova YA, Benítez-del-Castillo J, et al.. Revisiting the vicious circle of dry eye disease: a focus on the pathophysiology of meibomian gland dysfunction. Br J Ophthalmol. 2016. PMID 26781133 · DOI · PMC4789719
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.