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The Meibomian gland is a specialized sebaceous gland, which is embedded in the superior and inferior tarsal plates of the eyelids and produces a lipid secretion called meibum. Studies have shown that up to 87% of dry eye patients have evaporative DED, for which the major cause is Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). There are primarily two types of DED that are categorized by their etiology: aqueous-deficient DED and evaporative DED ( Figure 1). DED affects 6.8% of the United States adult population (approximately 16.4 million people) and is the most commonly reported condition in eye care clinics. In epidemiological studies performed globally, the prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) is estimated to range from 5% to 50%. Herein, we provide a bibliographic review on the various animal models that have been used to study Meibomian gland development, Meibomian gland homeostasis and MGD, primarily focusing on publications between 20. In particular, canine and rabbit models have been essential for studying the physiopathology and progression of DED, and the mouse model, which includes different knockout strains, has enabled the identification of specific pathways potentially involved in MGD. Much of what is known today about the Meibomian gland and MGD was learnt from these important animal models. For such, animal models have shown to be a vital tool. Given the importance of MGD in DED, there has been a growing interest in studying Meibomian gland development, homeostasis and pathology, and, also, in developing therapies for treating and/or preventing MGD. Unfortunately, currently there is no effective treatment for MGD, and solely palliative care is available. It is believed that approximately 70% of DED cases are due to some form of evaporative dry eye, for which Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the major cause. Studies have estimated that currently 344 million people worldwide and 16.4 million adults in the US have some form of dry eye disease (DED).