THE skin it is one of the largest organs in our body, accounting for about 12% of all our dry weight. In it we find several attachments, such as hair follicles, nails and glands. Among the glands, the sweating, who is responsible for the production of the sweat, which, in turn, has human thermoregulation as its main function.
The sweat gland is a type of exocrine gland, that is, it releases its secretion through ducts on the free surface of the body (body surface or organ light). Thanks to this feature, we can divide the sweat gland into two parts: the conducting and the secretory. In relation to the shape of the secretory portion, this gland is classified as a coiled tubule.
The sweat gland can be classified into two types: eccrine and apocrine sweat glands. Eccrine are those that release their secretion without loss of the secretory cell cytoplasm. Apocrine, on the other hand, eliminate secretion with portions of the cytoplasm.
At eccrine sweat glands, also called merocrine, are the most frequent, not being found only in the lips, nail beds and eardrums. They consist of a secretory portion with dark and light cells. Dark cells produce glycoproteins, while light cells eliminate the watery portion of sweat. The secretion from the eccrine glands is eliminated directly on the surface of the human body.
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Sometimes the eccrine glands begin to sweat excessively, in a condition known as hyperhidrosis. In these cases, there is an exaggerated increase in sweating, especially on the hands, feet, face and armpit, which causes great embarrassment to the patient.
At apocrine sweat glands they are less frequent and are located in the armpits, breast areolas, genital region and perianal region. These glands begin to function at puberty and their secretion varies according to their location and also with the action of sex hormones. However, in general, this secretion is more viscous when compared to that eliminated by the eccrine glands. Another point that deserves to be highlighted is the fact that the secretion produced by these glands is eliminated in the channels of hair follicles, unlike the merocrine, which is released on the body surface.
The secretion produced by the apocrine sweat glands, contrary to what many people think, have no smell. The unpleasant odor is characteristic of the development of bacteria in the region.
Curiosity: For every square inch of skin, there are about 625 sweat glands.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "sweat gland"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/glandula-sudoripara.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
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