Skip to content
Human Body Study

Montgomery's Tubercles

Specialized sebaceous glands (with some apocrine character) around the areola of each nipple. They appear as small bumps on the areolar skin and become prominent during pregnancy and lactation.

What they do

Section titled “What they do”
  • Lubricate and protect the nipple and areola — especially important during nursing, when friction and moisture would otherwise damage the skin.
  • Antimicrobial action — their secretion has antibacterial properties that protect both mother and infant.
  • Olfactory cues — their secretion gives the nipple area a distinct scent that helps guide newborns to the breast.

Key idea

Section titled “Key idea”

Montgomery’s tubercles are sebaceous machinery repurposed for a specific reproductive and protective role — quiet in childhood, prominent during pregnancy and nursing, and quiet again afterward.