Glandulae areolar
As areolares glands , Montgomery's glands , tubercles Montgomery or tubercles areolae are usually 10-15 in a circle around the nipple called the areola arranged raised that at a erections are usually highly visible nipple.
They are also referred to as “particularly differentiated scent glands ” of the skin (see also vomeronasal organ and pheromones ). These are larger sebum glands in the area of the areola, the end pieces of which show an apocrine secretion after childbirth . They are sometimes accompanied by mammary gland lobules. Smooth muscle fibers are present in the surrounding connective tissue .
Their function is to protect the skin of the breastfeeding woman and to create a certain seal of air between the baby's mouth and the nipple. They therefore promote adequate breast feeding for the infant . In addition, recent research suggests that they produce a type of fragrance (pheromone) that guides the infant to food.
Inflammation of the Montgomery glands is a possible, albeit rare, medical problem.
The name is derived from tuberculum (nodule, hillock) and areola (small courtyard) or from the first describer, William Fetherstone Montgomery (1797-1859), an Irish obstetrician .
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↑ Sébastien Doucet et al .: An overlooked aspect of the human breast: Areolar glands in relation with breastfeeding pattern, neonatal weight gain, and the dynamics of lactation. In: Early Human Development. Volume 88, No. 2, 2012, pp. 119–128, doi: 10.1016 / j.earlhumdev.2011.07.020 Follow your
nose to the milk bar. Short message on: Wissenschaft.de from October 14, 2011.