The Meibomian Glands: An Investigation Into the Secretion and Some Aspects of the Physiology

VERY little information appears in the literature on the composition of the Meibomian gland secretion or the mechanism whereby it is distributed to the lid margin. The most recent work on ocular biochemistry (Pirie and van Heyningen, 1956) makes no mention of the subject, and the majority of text-books dismiss it with the statement that the secretion is of a sebaceous nature. Duke-Elder (1938), quoting Pes (1897), says that the secretion is rich in fats, fatty acids, and cholesterol. Schiefferdecker (1906) described the glands as being filled with glandular epithelium, the peripheral cells being fat-free and the polygonal central cells being loaded with fat. This is shown in Fig.