Cell proliferation of the mouse sebocytes in skin and preputial gland

Abstract

Preputial glands are specialized sebaceous gland of some rodent as mouse and rat. This gland is regulated by androgens and other hormones. In this work we analysed the mitotic activity of the alveolar and ductal cells of the mice preputial gland throughout a circadian period. The results were compared to data obtained from the skin sebaceous gland. The mitotic activity in the preputial sebocytes displayed a bimodal curve with the highest mitotic indices at 12:00 and 00:00 h while the lower values were reached at 20:00 and 08:00h. In the ductal cells, the mitotic activity showed a single mitotic peak at 12:00h and a trough at 20:00 h. In the sebocytes from skin glands, the acrophase was detected at 04:00 h. The average cell proliferation daily value was significantly higher in the preputial sebocytes when compared to cutaneous sebocytes. These results demonstrated the existence of quantitative and qualitative differences in the mitotic activity of the preputial gland sebocytes in relation to the skin sebocytes.