Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, CMMC Research Institute, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Center for Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Exp Dermatol. 2021 Apr;30(4):588-597. doi: 10.1111/exd.14303. Epub 2021 Mar 10.
Sebaceous glands (SGs), typically associated with hair follicles, are critical for the homeostasis and function of mammalian skin. The main physiological function of SGs is the production and holocrine secretion of sebum to lubricate and protect the skin. Defective SGs have been linked to a variety of skin disorders, including acne, seborrheic dermatitis and formation of sebaceous tumors. Thus, a better understanding how SGs are formed and maintained is important to unravel the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of SG pathologies and to find better and effective therapies. Over the last two decades, research has come a long way from the initial identification of skin epithelial stem cells to the isolation and functional characterization of multiple stem cell pools as well as a better understanding of their unique and complex activities that drive skin homeostasis and operate in skin pathologies. Here, we discuss recent progress in unravelling cellular mechanisms underlying SG development, homeostasis and sebaceous tumor formation and assess the role of stem and progenitor cells in controlling SG physiology and disease processes. The development of elegant in vivo imaging as well as various in vitro and ex vivo stem cell and SG tissue models will advance mechanistic studies on SG function and allow drug screening and testing for efficient and successful targeting SG pathologies.
皮脂腺（SGs）通常与毛囊相关，对于哺乳动物皮肤的内稳态和功能至关重要。SGs 的主要生理功能是产生和全浆分泌皮脂，以润滑和保护皮肤。功能缺陷的 SGs 与多种皮肤疾病有关，包括痤疮、脂溢性皮炎和皮脂腺肿瘤的形成。因此，更好地了解 SGs 的形成和维持方式对于揭示 SG 病变的潜在分子和细胞机制以及寻找更好、更有效的治疗方法非常重要。在过去的二十年中，研究从最初识别皮肤上皮干细胞，到分离和功能表征多个干细胞池，以及更好地了解它们独特而复杂的活动，这些活动推动了皮肤的内稳态，并在皮肤病变中发挥作用，已经取得了很大的进展。在这里，我们讨论了在揭示 SG 发育、内稳态和皮脂腺肿瘤形成的细胞机制方面的最新进展，并评估了干细胞和祖细胞在控制 SG 生理学和疾病过程中的作用。体内成像以及各种体外和离体干细胞和 SG 组织模型的发展将推进 SG 功能的机制研究，并允许进行药物筛选和测试，以实现对 SG 病变的有效靶向治疗。
