Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
Exp Dermatol. 2013 Oct;22(10):629-30. doi: 10.1111/exd.12221.
For many years, the function of the sebaceous gland (SG) was underestimated and suggested by Albert M. Kligman as a remnant of human development, a 'living fossil with a past but no future'. However, the last two decades of studies and the discovery of neuro-endocrine pathways in skin have determined the importance of the SG in cutaneous biology and homeostasis. SGs play their role in cutaneous homeostasis by contribution to local steroidogenic pathways, antimicrobial activity and display of immune (both pro- and anti-inflammatory) properties. Despite several important manuscripts and reviews regarding SG biology and function, there was an urgent need for a high-quality methodological guide through SG identification and quantitative evaluation. In this issue of Experimental Dermatology, Hinde et al. present a practical guide to SG research - outlining methods, defining immunohistochemical markers and providing guidance to both novice and more experienced SG researchers.
多年来，皮脂腺 (SG) 的功能被低估了，并被 Albert M. Kligman 认为是人类发展的残余物，是一种“有过去但没有未来的活化石”。然而，过去二十年的研究以及皮肤中神经内分泌途径的发现，确定了 SG 在皮肤生物学和体内平衡中的重要性。SG 通过参与局部甾体生成途径、抗菌活性和表现出免疫（促炎和抗炎）特性，在皮肤体内平衡中发挥作用。尽管有几篇关于 SG 生物学和功能的重要论文和综述，但非常需要一份高质量的 SG 鉴定和定量评估方法指南。在本期《实验皮肤病学》中，Hinde 等人提出了一种实用的 SG 研究指南——概述了方法、定义了免疫组织化学标志物，并为新手和更有经验的 SG 研究人员提供了指导。
