Skin lipids. II. Lipid class composition of samples from various species and anatomical sites

The literature is reviewed and new data are presented for the lipid class analysis of samples of lipid from the following skin tissues and appendages: Total epidermis, stratum corneum, and living epidermis from the human leg, total epidermis (human sole), total epidermis (rat body), sebaceous glands (human scalp), Meibomian glands (human eyelid), preputial glands (rat), preen gland (domestic goose), scalp skin surface (human),vernix caseosa (human fetal body), and rat skin surface from the back. Lipid yields are also given for most of these samples. The results show that the composition of the sebaceous type excretion varies not only from species to species but for different anatomical sites within a given species. Noteworthy is the striking number of unidentified components. Evidence is presented for the existence of a wax diester in the sebaceous gland excretion of the rat.