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Biology of the Integument pp 248–254Cite as

Uropygial Gland

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Abstract

Uropygial (preen or oil) glands are the largest and most generally present skin glands in birds. There are other integumentary glands in birds but they are small and seldom noticed. They include sebaceous-type glands in the external wall of the auditory meatus (Glandulae auriculares) (Moser 1906; di Colo 1909; Plate 1918; Schumacher 1919; Gomot 1958; Lucas and Stettenheim 1972) and some short tubular glands of the external anal or vent region (Quay 1967). Avian skin also has a generalized or diffuse, holocrine, lipoidal secretory character which is functionally important in diverse ways (Varićak 1938; Lucas 1968, 1970; Lucas and Stettenheim 1972; Shah and Menon 1972; Shah et al. 1977; Menon et al. 1979, 1981).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology-Anatomy, University of California, 94720, Berkeley, California, USA

    W. B. Quay

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  1. W. B. Quay
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Kinematische Zellforschung, Fachbereich Biologie der Universität, Postfach 11 19 32, D-6000, Frankfurt a.M., Germany

    Jürgen Bereiter-Hahn

  2. Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 80 East Concord Street, 02118, Boston, MA, USA

    A. Gedeon Matoltsy

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Keele, ST5 5BG, Keele, Staffordshire, GB

    K. Sylvia Richards

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Quay, W.B. (1986). Uropygial Gland. In: Bereiter-Hahn, J., Matoltsy, A.G., Richards, K.S. (eds) Biology of the Integument. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-00989-5_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-00989-5_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-00991-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-00989-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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