Merocrine Apocrine And Holocrine Glands

Exocrine Glands

Exocrine glands secrete substances through ducts onto your bodily surfaces. Exocrine glands can be found in many unlike organs and accept many different functions. Exocrine glands secrete sweat from your sweat glands, tears from your lacrimal glands, saliva from your salivary glands, milk from your mammary glands and more.

Overview

Your exocrine glands secrete sweat, tears, saliva and other substances through ducts located in organs throughout your body. — Your exocrine glands secrete different substances through ducts located throughout your body.

What are exocrine glands?

Exocrine glands release (secrete) substances through openings (ducts) onto your trunk surfaces. Exocrine glands secrete sweat, tears, saliva, milk and digestive juices. A gland is a unit of cells that work together to create and secrete these substances. Exocrine glands can be found in many different organs in your torso. They have a variety of functions.

What's the difference between endocrine and exocrine glands?

Exocrine glands secrete their substances through ducts onto your torso'due south surfaces. On the other hand, endocrine glands secrete their substances directly into your bloodstream. They're called ductless glands. Endocrine glands are part of your endocrine system, and they secrete hormones. Examples of endocrine glands include your pituitary gland, thyroid gland and adrenal glands.

What are the unlike types of exocrine glands?

Many organs in your body apply exocrine glands to function properly. Examples of exocrine glands include:

Sweat glands: Your sweat glands create and secrete sweat. A type of sweat gland called eccrine sweat glands covers nigh your entire body surface. These sweat glands produce clear, non-oily sweat that helps control your body temperature.
Sebaceous glands: Your sebaceous glands are also on your peel. Merely they open into your hair follicles. Sebaceous glands secrete sebum. Sebum is an oily substance that lubricates and protects your hair and pare.
Salivary glands: Your salivary glands create and secrete saliva. Salvia helps yous chew, consume and digest your food. It also helps lubricate and protect the inner lining of your tissues.
Lacrimal glands: Your lacrimal glands are your tear glands. Your lacrimal glands are located above your upper eyelids. They create and secrete a fluid that gets into your optics every time you blink. This fluid helps proceed your optics moisturized.
Mammary glands: Your mammary glands produce milk. Your milk is nutrient-rich and helps protect your baby's developing immune system.
Ceruminous glands: Your ceruminous glands are glands in your ears. They aid produce ear wax (cerumen). Ear wax protects your ears from physical damage and infection.
Stomach glands: Glands in your stomach release enzymes that help break down nutrient. They also help your body blot important nutrients.
Brunner glands: The Brunner glands are located in the starting time office of your minor intestine. This is called your duodenum. The Brunner glands produce mucus that protects your duodenum from breadbasket acid. They as well assistance your body digest food and absorb nutrients.

Your liver and pancreas are exocrine glands too. Your liver secretes bile through ducts into your gastrointestinal tract. Your pancreas secretes pancreatic juices through ducts into your gastrointestinal tract. But your liver and pancreas are also considered endocrine glands. They have dual roles. They besides secrete hormones directly into your bloodstream.

Function

What is the role of exocrine glands?

Your exocrine glands take any different functions. The function of each depends on the organ in your body they're associated with. The principal purpose of all exocrine glands is to make and release substances to aid your body in some style. They help your torso:

Digest your food.
Absorb nutrients.
Protect the inner lining of your organs.
Command your body temperature.
Lubricate your hair and skin.

How do exocrine glands work?

Your exocrine glands release their substances in dissimilar ways. The 3 main ways exocrine glands can secrete their substances are:

Merocrine glands: Merocrine glands release their substances through a process called exocytosis. With exocytosis, the cells aren't damaged at all. Your eccrine sweat glands are a kind of merocrine glands.
Apocrine glands: Apocrine glands brand buds of the cell membranes, which break off into the duct. This causes them to lose part of the membrane in the process. Your mammary glands are a kind of apocrine glands.
Holocrine glands: With holocrine glands, the cell membrane bursts to release its substance. Your sebaceous glands are a kind of holocrine glands.

Atmospheric condition and Disorders

What are common conditions and disorders that impact exocrine glands?

Many conditions can affect your exocrine glands because they're located throughout your torso. These conditions include:

Hyperhydrosis: Hyperhydrosis is as well called excessive sweating. It occurs when your body'southward sweat glands produce more sweat than it needs.
Bromhidrosis: Bromhidrosis is besides called excessive trunk odor. It occurs when bacteria on your skin starts to break down dried sweat.
Acne vulgaris: Acne occurs when your sebaceous glands plug up with sebum. This releases free fatty acids, which trigger an inflammatory response that creates pimples.
Sjögren's syndrome: Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder. Information technology reduces the corporeality of moisture your salivary glands and lacrimal glands produce. This tin can lead to dry rima oris and dry eyes.
Mammary duct ectasia: Mammary duct ectasia is the swelling and thickening of your milk ducts. This condition tin cause blockages in your milk ducts.
Cystic fibrosis: Cystic fibrosis is a disease that causes sticky, thick mucus to build up in organs including your lungs and pancreas. Information technology's caused by a mutation of a protein involved in the production of your sweat, mucus and digestive fluids.
Brunner's gland hyperplasia: Brunner's gland hyperplasia is a noncancerous (benign) tumor on your duodenum.
Pancreatitis: Pancreatitis tin can crusade your pancreas to cease producing digestive enzymes. Your small intestine needs the enzymes to assist break down food.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Your exocrine glands make and release many of the important substances your body needs to function properly. Exocrine glands can be constitute all over your torso, from your skin to your breasts to your pancreas. Since they're found all over your body, there's a wide range of conditions they tin can impact. If you're experiencing any new or apropos symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider. They tin assess your health and make sure you're on the right rails.