20 Questions
What is the function of myoepithelial cells in eccrine sweat glands?
To contract and move watery secretion into the duct
Where are apocrine sweat glands confined to?
The skin of the axillary and perineal regions
What is the function of sebaceous glands?
To maintain the stratum corneum and hair shafts
What type of secretion do sebaceous glands undergo?
Holocrine
What is the function of clear cells in eccrine sweat glands?
To produce sweat and have microvilli
What is the function of dark cells in eccrine sweat glands?
To line the lumen and do not contract the basal lamina
Where do sebaceous glands open directly onto the skin?
In areas with no hairs
What is the composition of sebum?
A complex mixture of lipids
What is the function of eccrine sweat glands as auxiliary organs?
To eliminate small amounts of nitrogenous waste and excess salts
How do sebaceous glands develop?
As branched structures with multiple small sacs called acini
What type of glands are eccrine glands compared to apocrine glands?
Smaller lumens
What type of cells do apocrine glands consist of?
Simple cuboidal cells with numerous secretory granules
Where do apocrine glands open into?
Hair follicle at the epidermis
What type of glands produce pheromones?
Apocrine glands
What type of nerve endings innervate apocrine glands?
Adrenergic nerve endings
What type of glands are mammary glands?
Compound tubuloalveolar glands
How many lobes do mammary glands typically consist of?
15-25 lobes
What type of tissue separates the lobules from each other in mammary glands?
Both A and B
What happens to the breast during pregnancy?
It undergoes enlargement due to hormones
What type of cells line the alveoli of lactating glands?
Simple cuboidal epithelium with myoepithelial cells
Study Notes
Sebaceous Glands
- Found all over the body, except for the thick skin
- Branched structure with multiple small sacs called acini, which join together into a short duct and open into a hair follicle
- Form a pilosebaceous unit with a hair follicle
- In areas with no hairs (e.g., penis), the sebaceous gland opens directly onto the skin
- Produce sebum, a complex mixture of lipids, through holocrine secretion
- Sebum helps maintain the stratum corneum and hair shafts, and has weak antibacterial and antifungal properties
Sweat Glands
- Develop as long epidermal invaginations embedded in the dermis
- Two types: eccrine and apocrine sweat glands
- Eccrine sweat glands:
- Most numerous on the foot soles
- Coiled and small lumen of both secretory components and ducts
- Secretory part consists of stratified cuboidal epithelium with three types of cells (dark, clear, and myoepithelial cells)
- Produce sweat through merocrine secretion
- Ducts absorb ions from the water to prevent excessive electrolyte loss
- Function as auxiliary excretory organs, eliminating small amounts of nitrogenous waste and excess salts
- Apocrine sweat glands:
- Confined to the skin of axillary and perineal regions
- Development depends on sex hormones
- Have much larger lumens than eccrine glands
- Produce pheromones
- Innervated by adrenergic nerve endings
Mammary Glands
- Compound tubuloalveolar glands
- Consist of 15-25 lobes
- Stroma and parenchyma:
- Stroma: adipose tissue, dense CT separating the lobules from each other
- Parenchyma: consists of lactiferous ducts and alveoli
- Before puberty: lactiferous sinuses and lactiferous ducts
- During puberty: high estrogen levels lead to accumulation of adipose CT and increase of lactiferous ducts
- Each lobule consists of several ducts that empty into one terminal duct
- Lactiferous ducts are lined by simple cuboidal epithelium covered by myoepithelial cells
- During pregnancy, the breast undergo enlargement due to hormones
- After pregnancy, prolactin secretion leads to milk production
- Alveoli of lactating glands are lined by cuboidal epithelium with myoepithelial cells
- Secretory cells contain lipid droplets containing caseins (milk proteins) and lactose
Learn about the structure and function of sebaceous glands, including their location, composition, and secretion process. Understand how they relate to hair follicles and skin.
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