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Abstract
<p class="first" id="P1">This paper reviews our current understanding of age-related
meibomian gland dysfunction
(MGD) and the role of the nuclear receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor
gamma (PPARγ), in the regulation of meibomian gland function, meibocyte differentiation
and lipid synthesis. The studies suggest that PPARγ is a master regulator of meibocyte
differentiation and function, whose expression and nuclear signaling coupled with
meibocyte renewal is altered during aging, potentially leading to atrophy of the meibomian
gland as seen in clinical MGD. Study of meibomian gland stem cells also suggest that
there is a limited number of precursor meibocytes that provide progeny to the acini,
that may be susceptible to exhaustion as occurs during aging and other environmental
factors. Further study of pathways regulating PPARγ expression and function as well
as meibocyte stem cell maintenance may provide clues to establishing cellular and
molecular mechanisms underlying MGD and the development of novel therapeutic strategies
to treating this disease.
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