Apocrine Sweat Glands

nB. Apocrine Sweat Glands
n1. Distribution. Less numerous than the eccrine type, these glands occur mainly in the axilla, pubic and anal regions, and the areolae of the breasts. 2. Structure. Apocrine sweat glands are also simple coiled tubular glands, but are generally larger than eccrine glands. a. Ducts. These coiled ducts are lined with low cuboidal epithelium and open into hair follicles . b. Secretory portions. Coiled and embedded in the dermis, each has a wide lumen lined by cuboidal to columnar cells. Myoepithelial cells are present between the secretory cells and the basal lamina.
n3. Secretory Product. Apocrine sweat is a viscous, odorless fluid that, once secreted, acquires a distinctive odor as a result ofbacterial degradation. The term apocrine derives from early evidence that the secretory cells of these glands released their apical cytoplasm along with the secretory product. Recent evidence, however, argues against apical shedding. Therefore, although the secretory products ofapocrine and eccnne sweat glands do differ, their mode of secretion-merocrine-is similar.

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