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Mechanisms of sebum production and delivery in man

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Summary

Utilizing a solvent extraction system and colorimetric analysis, surface lipid levels were determined on the forehead. To understand the mechanisms involved in the sebaceous gland apparatus, repeated sampling at varying timed intervals were made.

The data suggest that frequent surface samplings produce higher rates of lipid replacement. The increasing lipid replacement rates seen with sampling intervals of greater frequency do not follow a linear pattern. Also, lipid replacement rates show a gradual decline with time. This data suggest the existence of a multifunctional sebaceous apparatus involved in sebum production (a rate function), sebum storage (a volume function) and surface delivery (a rate function).

Zusammenfassung

Oberflächenlipide von der Stirnhaut wurden mittels eines Lösungsmittelextraktionssystems und eines kolorimetrischen Verfahrens analysiert. Wiederholte Messungen zu verschiedenen Zeitpunkten wurden gemacht, um die Talgdrüsenleistung zu bestimmen. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse deuten darauf hin, daß häufigere Hautoberflächenlipidgewinnung zu einer größeren Nachschubmenge des Lipids (lipid replacement) führt. Die zunehmende Lipidmenge, die der häufigeren Entnahme folgt, ist nicht linear korreliert. Ebenso zeigt die Lipidmenge mit der Zeit eine allmähliche Abnahme.

Diese Untersuchungen lassen darauf schließen, daß es einen multifunktionellen Talgdrüsenapparat gibt, in den die Talgproduktion (eine Geschwindigkeitsfunktion), die Talgspeicherung (eine Volumenfunktion) und der Talgabfluß zur Hautoberfläche (eine Geschwindigkeitsfunktion) involviert sind.

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Millns, J.L., Maibach, H.I. Mechanisms of sebum production and delivery in man. Arch Dermatol Res 272, 351–362 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00509067

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