Areolar glands, also known as glandulae areolares, Montgomery glands, and tubercula areolae, are 10–15 elevations found on the areola. They are usually arranged in a circle around the nipple, and can be particularly visible when the nipple is erect. Their role is to promote adequate breastfeeding of the infant.
They are sebaceous glands, which secrete sebum oil, a free fatty acid, onto the skin that lubricates the nipple when breastfeeding, protects the skin, and provides some air tightness between the infant's mouth and the nipple. They also emit odor compounds into the air that attract babies.
A meta-analysis shows that odor compounds emitted from lactating breasts reduced arousal states in active newborns, increases arousal states in sleepy newborns, and causes babies to turn their heads towards the breast, though the source of these effects were not strongly identified. A targeted study of 16 infants based on these observations has shown that these effects can be induced experimentally through a researcher directing a baby with areolar gland scent on a stick. Additionally, areolar gland scents cause these effects more strongly than milk or sebum odors.
Structure
Areolar glands are round bumps found in the areola, and sometimes on the nipple.
Variation
The tubercles become more pronounced when the nipple is erect, and during pregnancy. The number of glands can vary greatly, usually averaging from 4 to 28 per breast.
Function
Areolar glands make oily secretions (lipoid fluid) that keep the areola and the nipple lubricated and protected.
Volatile compounds in these secretions may also serve as an olfactory stimulus for newborn appetite. This is a neutral condition that rarely represents any underlying problem, unlike the spontaneous flow of milk from the breast.
See also
- Cracked nipple
- List of specialized glands within the human integumentary system