Exocrine gland

Exocrine gland

An acinus is a round cluster of exocrine cells connected to a duct.
Details
Identifiers
Latin glandula exocrina
Code TH H2.00.02.0.03014

Anatomical terminology

Exocrine glands are glands that produce and secrete substances onto an epithelial surface by way of a duct.[1] Examples of exocrine glands include sweat, salivary, mammary, ceruminous, lacrimal, sebaceous, and mucous. Exocrine glands are one of two types of glands in the human body, the other being endocrine glands, which secrete their products directly into the bloodstream. The liver and pancreas are both exocrine and endocrine glands; they are exocrine glands because they secrete products—bile and pancreatic juice—into the gastrointestinal tract through a series of ducts, and endocrine because they secrete other substances directly into the bloodstream.

Classification

By structure

Exocrine glands contain a glandular portion and a duct portion, the structures of which can be used to classify the gland.[1]

By method of excretion

Exocrine glands are named apocrine glands, holocrine glands, or merocrine glands based on how their products are excreted.[1]

By product excreted

See also

Additional images

References

  1. 1 2 3 Young B, Woodford P, O'Dowd G (2013). Wheater's Functional Histology: A Text and Colour Atlas (6th ed.). Elsevier. p. 95. ISBN 978-0702047473.

External links

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