# Decoding sebaceous gland functions and diseases: insights from domestic animals **Authors:** Helga Pfannkuche, Juliane Maus, Kathrin M. Engel, Jürgen Schiller, Marlon R. Schneider PMC · DOI: 10.1007/s11259-026-11128-0 · Veterinary Research Communications · 2026-03-13 ## TL;DR This review explores the roles of sebaceous glands in domestic animals, revealing new functions and their relevance to both animal and human health. ## Contribution Highlights previously unrecognized roles of sebaceous glands in domestic animals and their translational potential for human health. ## Key findings - Sebum has a unique lipid composition in each species studied. - Sebum is essential for wool production and carries a major cat allergen. - Dogs and cats can develop sebaceous gland-related skin diseases similar to human acne. ## Abstract Skin sebaceous glands (SGs) synthesize and secrete sebum, a mixture of lipids and cellular debris that defends the external body surface against physicochemical challenges. Recent data define the SG as a dynamic entity with potential functions beyond skin protection, including immunomodulatory actions and the regulation of energy metabolism. We postulate that the SG also has important, unrecognized roles in physiological and pathological processes in domestic animals. Conversely, data derived from domestic animals may have translational relevance for humans. This review article summarizes SG structural and functional features in the most widespread species domesticated for food (cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs), work (horses), and companionship (dogs and cats). Our survey reveals hitherto unrecognized roles of the SG in diverse pathophysiological processes. Among other fascinating facts, we learn that sebum has an exquisite and unique lipid composition in each of the considered species. Furthermore, sebum is essential for e.g., wool production but also a carrier for the most important cat protein causing allergic reactions in humans, and dogs and cats may develop a SG-related skin illness resembling acne that is potentially relevant as a model for the human disease. This critical review provides a foundation for future interdisciplinary studies in a largely neglected area with great potential for advancing animal welfare and human health. ## Linked entities - **Diseases:** acne (MONDO:0011438) ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** SCD1 [NCBI Gene 100860763], CBD103 (beta-defensin 103) [NCBI Gene 100170103], AWAT1 (acyl-CoA wax alcohol acyltransferase 1) [NCBI Gene 529893] {aka DGAT2L3}, SOX9 (SRY-box transcription factor 9) [NCBI Gene 6662] {aka CMD1, CMPD1, ENH13, SRA1, SRXX2, SRXY10}, AWAT2 (acyl-CoA wax alcohol acyltransferase 2) [NCBI Gene 521298] {aka DGAT2L4}, SOX9 (SRY-box transcription factor 9) [NCBI Gene 403464], ELOVL5 [NCBI Gene 100861282], CAT (catalase) [NCBI Gene 403474], GLB1 (galactosidase beta 1) [NCBI Gene 2720] {aka EBP, ELNR1, MPS4B}, LRIG1 (leucine rich repeats and immunoglobulin like domains 1) [NCBI Gene 484698], GUSB (glucuronidase beta) [NCBI Gene 2990] {aka BG, MPS7}, LRIG1 (leucine rich repeats and immunoglobulin like domains 1) [NCBI Gene 26018] {aka LIG-1, LIG1}, AQP3 (aquaporin 3 (Gill blood group)) [NCBI Gene 360] {aka AQP-3, GIL}, SOAT1 [NCBI Gene 101081271], SI (sucrase-isomaltase) [NCBI Gene 6476], DGAT2L6 (diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 like 6) [NCBI Gene 505958], ME2 (malic enzyme 2) [NCBI Gene 4200] {aka ODS1}, G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) [NCBI Gene 2539] {aka CNSHA1, G6PD1}, INS (insulin) [NCBI Gene 3630] {aka IDDM, IDDM1, IDDM2, ILPR, IRDN, MODY10} - **Diseases:** metastases (MESH:D009362), Focal cutaneous hypoplasia (MESH:D005490), otitis (MESH:D010031), Canine distichiasis (MESH:C537710), Congenital disorders of the SG (MESH:D012625), Adenomas (MESH:D000236), atopic dermatitis (MESH:D003876), Senile nodular SG hyperplasia (MESH:D020518), dry seborrhoea (MESH:D015352), lumpy skin disease (MESH:D008166), atrophy (MESH:D001284), Neoplastic diseases (MESH:D004194), HF (MESH:D006201), Ehrlich ascites carcinomas (MESH:D002286), cysts (MESH:D003560), glands (MESH:D000307), Dermoid cysts (MESH:D003884), Hormone-producing tumors (MESH:D015408), SG hamartoma (MESH:D006222), abscesses (MESH:D000038), contact hypersensitivity (MESH:D003877), Tumors (MESH:D009369), osseous (MESH:C535395), hyperadrenocorticism (MESH:D000308), purulent folliculitis (MESH:D005499), Classical swine fever (MESH:D006691), hypoplasia (MESH:D000080344), skin tumors (MESH:D012878), leishmaniasis (MESH:D007896), Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (MESH:D053358), itching (MESH:D011537), erythema (MESH:D004890), melanosis (MESH:D008548), Toxicological disorders (MESH:D009358), paronychia (MESH:D010304), SG hyperplasia (MESH:C537530), ecthyma contagiosum (MESH:D004473), Otitis externa (MESH:D010032), Viral diseases (MESH:D014777), paraneoplastic (MESH:D010257), congenital malformations (OMIM:163000), Infection (MESH:D007239), Insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), sebaceous nevus (MESH:D054000), autoimmune diseases (MESH:D001327), retention cysts (MESH:D016055), ductal sebaceous adenoma (MESH:D044584), dermatitis (MESH:D003872), Traumatic injuries (MESH:D014947), testicular tumors (MESH:D013736), papilloma (MESH:D010212), WE (MESH:D015217), metabolic disorders (MESH:D008659), Acne (MESH:D000152), hypoplastic epidermis (MESH:D000741), discoid lupus erythematosus (MESH:D008179), Hyperplasia (MESH:D006965), endocrine disorders (MESH:D004700), bacterial colonization (MESH:D015179), thymoma (MESH:D013945) - **Chemicals:** sulfatides (MESH:D013433), cholesteryl esters (MESH:D002788), Glycoconjugates (MESH:D006001), carbon (MESH:D002244), ) fatty acids (MESH:D005227), cis-6-hexadecenoic acid (MESH:C093821), PL (MESH:D010743), Glycogen (MESH:D006003), Tetrachlorvinphos (MESH:D013751), Octane (MESH:C026728), fatty alcohols (MESH:D005233), diacylglycerol (MESH:D004075), alpha-fucose (MESH:D005643), myristic acid (MESH:D019814), palmitic acid (MESH:D019308), fatty acyl-CoA (MESH:D000214), heptadecane (MESH:C016486), fipronil (MESH:C082360), Squalene (MESH:D013185), 2-methylpropanoic acid (MESH:C020380), ester (MESH:D004952), ceramides (MESH:D002518), alpha-hydroxypalmitic acid (MESH:C024707), stainless steel (MESH:D013193), vitamin D3 (MESH:D002762), phosphatidylcholine (MESH:D010713), serine (MESH:D012694), glycolipids (MESH:D006017), N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (MESH:D000116), palmitoleic acid (MESH:C008757), docosahexaenoic acid (MESH:D004281), glycosphingolipids (MESH:D006028), phosphatidylglycerol (MESH:D010715), terbinafine (MESH:D000077291), phosphorylcholine (MESH:D010767), C18:1 (-), FA (MESH:D005492), cholesterol (MESH:D002784), decanoic acid (MESH:C031071), linoleic acid (MESH:D019787), tetradecanol (MESH:C020940), dihydrotestosterone (MESH:D013196), cholesteryl oleate (MESH:C014409), Altrenogest (MESH:C023445), dihydrolanosterol (MESH:C015316), TAG (MESH:D014280), glycerol (MESH:D005990), desmosterol (MESH:D003897), water (MESH:D014867), FFA (MESH:D005230), sterol (MESH:D013261), unsaturated hydrocarbon (MESH:D006838), lathosterol (MESH:C001521), N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (MESH:D019158), imidacloprid (MESH:C082359), ethyl esters (MESH:C465446), linseed oil (MESH:D008043), Lipids (MESH:D008055), Wax (MESH:D014885), bicarbonate (MESH:D001639) - **Species:** Bos indicus (Indicine cattle, species) [taxon 9915], Solanum glaucophyllum (species) [taxon 52877], Equus asinus (African ass, species) [taxon 9793], Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbit, species) [taxon 9986], Equus caballus (domestic horse, species) [taxon 9796], Dermatophilus congolensis (species) [taxon 1863], Psoroptes ovis (rabbit ear mite, species) [taxon 83912], Fusobacterium necrophorum (species) [taxon 859], Capra hircus (domestic goat, species) [taxon 9925], Pseudomonas aeruginosa (species) [taxon 287], Haematobia irritans (horn fly, species) [taxon 7368], Lynx rufus (bobcat, species) [taxon 61384], Bos taurus (bovine, species) [taxon 9913], Macaca fascicularis (crab eating macaque, species) [taxon 9541], Ovis aries musimon (mouflon, subspecies) [taxon 9938], Chorioptes bovis (chorioptic mange mite, species) [taxon 420257], Demodex injai (species) [taxon 1191121], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Canis lupus familiaris (dog, subspecies) [taxon 9615], Felis catus (cat, species) [taxon 9685], Staphylococcus aureus (species) [taxon 1280], Demodex cati (species) [taxon 1241993], Malassezia (genus) [taxon 55193], Corydalus cornutus (eastern dobsonfly, species) [taxon 559164], Cutibacterium acnes (species) [taxon 1747], Equus asinus x Equus caballus (mule, species) [taxon 319699], Feline immunodeficiency virus (no rank) [taxon 11673], Demodex (genus) [taxon 188544], Ancylostoma braziliense (species) [taxon 369059], Cricetus cricetus (black-bellied hamster, species) [taxon 10034], Rinderpest morbillivirus (no rank) [taxon 11241], Sus scrofa domesticus (domestic pig, subspecies) [taxon 9825], Ovis aries (domestic sheep, species) [taxon 9940], Papillomaviridae (family) [taxon 151340], Geotrichum ghanense (species) [taxon 2862414], Demodex canis (dog follicle mite, species) [taxon 188545], Corynebacterium (genus) [taxon 1716], Felis silvestris silvestris (European wildcat, subspecies) [taxon 463207], Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (species) [taxon 283734], Sus scrofa (pig, species) [taxon 9823], Bubalus bubalis (domestic water buffalo, species) [taxon 89462], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Demodex gatoi (species) [taxon 1260752], Ixodes rubicundus (species) [taxon 722771], Gasterophilus intestinalis (species) [taxon 84525], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932], Ixodida (ticks, order) [taxon 6935], Glossina (tsetse flies, genus) [taxon 7393], Capripoxvirus (genus) [taxon 10265] ## Full text _Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12987846/full.md ## Figures 3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12987846/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12987846