# REGULATION OF FUNCTION IN SEBACEOUS GLANDS

> **NIH NIH R01** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 1987 · $25,754

## Abstract

The avian sebaceous gland contains undifferentiated basal cells and
differentiated sebocytes.  The small basal cells are almost completely
filled with their nuclei.  These cells lie on a basement membrane and
contain none of the wax ester secretion product of the gland and little or
none of the enzymes required to synthesize the wax ester.  Mature sebocytes
are large and filled with the wax ester secretion product.  The entire
mature sebocyte with its contents is secreted from the gland.  Continual
proliferation of the basal cells gives rise to more progenitor cells and to
immature sebocytes which replace those lost by secretion.  As the
progenitor cells detach from the basement membrane and acquire the
characteristics of mature sebocytes, they accumulate malic enzyme and fatty
acid synthase, two enzymes involved in the de novo synthesis of the wax
ester secretion product.  We propose to determine the molecular nature of
the events which initiate conversion of progenitor cells to sebocytes,
using malic enzyme and fatty acid synthase as markers of the differentiated
state.  Enzyme synthesis seems to regulate the level of these enzymes in
the avian sebaceous gland.  We will confirm this and then determine whether
enzyme synthesis is regulated at the level of transcription, processing or
translation of the specific mRNAs.  We have isolated cloned cDNA probes for
malic enzymes and fatty acid synthase mRNAs.  They will be used to measure
mRNA levels and rates of transcription in isolated progenitor cells and
sebocytes and to analyze the structure of the malic enzyme and fatty acid
synthase genes in the gland.  Progenitor cells will be established in
primary culture to test various possible mechanisms which might initiate
the differentiation process.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3155485
- **Project number:** 5R01AR027018-08
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HJMKEF7EJW69
- **Principal Investigator:** ALAN GARDNER GOODRIDGE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $25,754
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1980-04-01 → 1987-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3155485

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3155485, REGULATION OF FUNCTION IN SEBACEOUS GLANDS (5R01AR027018-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3155485. Licensed CC0.

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