Exocrine glands are glands that secrete substances onto an epithelial surface by way of a duct. Examples of exocrine glands include sweat, salivary, mammary, ceruminous, lacrimal, sebaceous, prostate and mucous.
Sweat Gland
Sweat glands are coiled tubular structures vital for regulating human body temperature. Humans have three different types of sweat glands: eccrine, apocrine, and apoeccrine.
Eccrine sweat glands are abundantly distributed all over the skin and mainly secrete water and electrolytes through the surface of the skin.
Apocrine glands in the skin and eyelid are sweat glands. Most apocrine glands in the skin are in the armpits, the groin, and the area around the nipples of the breast. Apocrine glands in the skin are scent glands, and their secretions usually have an odor.
Apoeccrine glands secrete more sweat than both eccrine and apocrine glands, thus playing a large role in axillary sweating. Apoeccrine glands are sensitive to cholinergic activity, though they can also be activated via adrenergic stimulation. Like eccrine glands, they continuously secrete a thin, watery sweat.
Sweat glands occur all over the body, but are most numerous on the forehead, the armpits, the palms and the soles of the feet. Sweat is mainly water, but it also contains some salts. Its main function is to control body temperature. As the water in the sweat evaporates, the surface of the skin cools.
salivary gland
They produce most of the saliva in your mouth. There are three pairs of major salivary glands: the parotid glands, the submandibular glands, and the sublingual glands.
Most animals have three major pairs of salivary glands that differ in the type of secretion they produce:
- parotid glands produce a serous, watery secretion.
- submaxillary (mandibular) glands produce a mixed serous and mucous secretion.
- sublingual glands secrete a saliva that is predominantly mucous in character.
mammary gland
The mammary gland is a gland located in the breasts of females that is responsible for lactation, or the production of milk. Both males and females have glandular tissue within the breasts; however, in females the glandular tissue begins to develop after puberty in response to estrogen release.
Which hormone is responsible for mammary gland?
The serum concentration of prolactin (PRL) and GH are significantly increased, which activates PRLRs and growth hormone receptors (GHRs) to influence ductal and alveolar development and differentiation. Therefore, GH plays a critical role in mammary gland development and milk production
ceruminous gland
Ceruminous glands are specialized sudoriferous glands (sweat glands) located subcutaneously in the external auditory canal, in the outer 1/3. Ceruminous glands are simple, coiled, tubular glands made up of an inner secretory layer of cells and an outer myoepithelial layer of cells. They are classed as apocrine glands.
Where are ceruminous glands found in the body?
External auditory canal. The human ceruminous glands are located in the cartilaginous two-thirds of the external auditory canal (Perry and Shelley,1955). It has been estimated that there are between 1,000 and 2,000 ceruminous glands in the normal ear.
lacrimal gland
The lacrimal gland is located within the orbit above the lateral end of the eye. It continually releases fluid which cleanses and protects the eye’s surface as it lubricates and moistens it. These lacrimal secretions are commonly known as tears.
The lacrimal gland is a bilobed, tear-shaped gland with the primary function of secreting the aqueous portion of the tear film, thereby maintaining the ocular surface. It is primarily located in the anterior, superotemporal orbit within the lacrimal fossa of the frontal bone.
What happens if lacrimal gland is blocked?
Excess fluid drains through the tear ducts into the nose. When you have a blocked tear duct, your tears can’t drain normally, leaving you with a watery, irritated eye. The condition is caused by a partial or complete obstruction in the tear drainage system.
What is the function of tears?Tears keep your eyes wet and smooth, and help focus light so you can see clearly. They also protect your eyes from infections and irritating things, like dirt and dust. Every time you blink, a thin layer of tears called a “tear film” spreads across the surface of your cornea (the clear outer layer of the eye)
sebaceous gland
A sebaceous gland is a microscopic exocrine gland in the skin that opens into a hair follicle to secrete an oily or waxy matter, called sebum, which lubricates the hair and skin of mammals.
The normal function of sebaceous glands is to produce and secrete sebum, a group of complex oils including triglycerides and fatty acid breakdown products, wax esters, squalene, cholesterol esters and cholesterol. Sebum lubricates the skin to protect against friction and makes it more impervious to moisture.
What can the sebaceous gland cause?
Sebaceous glands secrete an oily substance called sebum. This helps protect the skin from the outside environment. Due to an overgrowth of oil-producing cells, sebum can become trapped inside the gland, causing it to swell and form a bump under the skin. This is known as sebaceous hyperplasia.
Can you pop sebaceous glands?Squeezing sebaceous hyperplasia bumps won’t help, as there’s nothing inside that can be extracted. In fact, doing this can actually cause the bumps to become inflamed or bleed.
Do sebaceous cysts go away?
Sebaceous cysts most often disappear on their own and are not dangerous. As stated, however, they may become inflamed, tender, and even infected. Sometimes sebaceous cysts grow large enough that they may interfere with your everyday life.
Does sebum cause hair loss?The overproduction of sebum causes the hair and skin to become greasy and can lead to various complications such as dandruff and acne. If left untreated, sebum buildup on the scalp can cause more serious symptoms and complications, including hair loss.
prostate gland
The prostate gland is located just below the bladder in men and surrounds the top portion of the tube that drains urine from the bladder (urethra). The prostate’s primary function is to produce the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm (seminal fluid).
The prostate has various functions. The most important is producing seminal fluid, a fluid that is a component of semen. It also plays a role in hormone production and helps regulate urine flow. Prostate problems are common, especially in older men.
mucous gland
Mucous gland, also known as muciparous glands, are found in several different parts of the body, and they typically stain lighter than serous glands during standard histological preparation. Most are multicellular, but goblet cells are single-celled glands.
What is the function of mucous gland?
Mucous glands, which aid in maintaining the water balance and offer protection from bacteria, are extremely numerous in fish skin, especially in cyclostomes and teleosts.
Human Body 