Glands of the skin

There are two types of glands - sweat glands and sebaceous gland (a modified form of sweat gland).

Sweat Glands

  1. Eccrine glands, particularly in thick skin, are simple tubular glands, coiled, the part which produces sweat is in the subcutaneous tissue. Innervated by sudomotor cholinergic fibres. Sudo = sweat, eg sudiferous. Secretes small quantities of salt and urea. Myoepithelial cells (smooth muscle/epithelial) help squirt sweat out. MerocrIne in action produce sweat without the loss of cytoplasm.
  2. Apocrine glands - Axilla and groin, much thicker fluid not active till puberty. BO produced with bacterial action. Glands are under adrenergic control. Also secretic pheromones.

Sebaceous Glands

  1. Usually but not always associated with hair have holocrine secretion, sebum. The whole cell is the secretion, sebum, which is fatty and forms a layer of solid cream fatty layers. Glands are also connected to acne, on breakdown get fatty acids which can be irritants. Not known if these are under nervous control. Might be connected with pheromones. This is a modified sweat gland.
  2. Mammary - modified sweat gland
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