Topic summary
Cerumen
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Earwax.
Physiology
Cerumen is produced in the cartilaginous outer third portion of the ear canal. It is a mixture of secretions from sebaceous glands and less-viscous ones from modified apocrine sweat glands. The primary components of both wet and dry earwax are shed layers of skin, with, on average, 60% of the earwax consisting of keratin, 12–20% saturated and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, alcohols, squalene and 6–9% cholesterol.