Exocrine/Endocrine Glands I Flashcards
All endocrine glands lack ____
ducts
Most but not all exocrine glands have ____
ducts
What are 3 ways to classify exocrine glands?
What it secretes (type of secretion product)
How it secretes
Gland morphology
What are the 4 types of secretion products of exocrine glands?
Mucous glands
Serous glands
Mixed (seromucous) glands
Sebaceous glands
What do mucous glands secrete?
Secrete mucus
What do serous glands secrete?
Secrete watery fluids
What do mixed glands secrete?
Secrete fluids of intermediate viscosity
What do sebaceous glands secrete?
Secrete sebum
What are acini?
Ball-like clusters formed by exocrine cells
Usually have central lumen that connects to a duct
What are the secretions and functions of mucuous glands?
Secretions are mucus. Mucinogen forms mucin when hydrated. Heavily glycosylated glycoproteins that form gels
Functions:
Protection (traps pathogens, resist stomach acids)
Lubrication (gel allows solid wastes to slide through)
Examples: goblet cells, gastric mucous cells
What are the secretions and functions of serous glands?
Secretions are watery and rich in nonglycosylated/poorly glycosylated proteins like enzymes and antibodies
Function:
Varies depending on composition and gland location
Examples: Exocrine pancreas, parotid gland, lacrimal glands
What are the secretions and functions of seromucous glands?
Secretions are mix of mucus and serous components. Proportions vary by gland
Function:
Varies depending on composition and gland locaton
Examples: Mixed but mostly serous acini (submandibular gland, prostate gland), mixed but mostly mucous acini (sublingual gland)
What are serous demilunes?
Artefacts of formalin fixation
Only occur in mixed acini
What are the secretions and functions of sebaceous glands?
Secretion is sebum - rich in lipids, fatty acids, wax esters, and squalene
Always associated with hair follicles
What can affect the rate of sebum secretion?
Androgens stimulate it
Estrogens inhibit it
What are the secretion modes of glands?
Merocrine secretion - exocytosis into lumen, most common, least destructive
Apocrine secretion - entire apical end of cell pinches off, mammary glands, moderately destructive
Holocrine secretion - cell disintegration, sebaceous glands only, most destructive
Endocrine secretion - Endocrine glands - exocytosis towards BM, crosses BM to blood stream
What is the function of apocrine secretion mode?
Allows cell to secrete complex protein rich and lipid rich mixtures, all at once
Helps gland release large amounts of fluid secretions quickly
What are the 2 glands classified by gland morphology?
Unicellular exocrine glands - goblet cells only, mianly in epithelia lining respiratory and intestinal tracts
Multicellular exocrine glands - secretory sheets, smaller intraepithelial glands, complex multicellular glands (common, almost all exocrine glands in body)
What is the general structure of complex multicellular glands?
Parenchyma - parts of gland or organ that are specialized for gland/organ function.
Secretory units - group of secretory cells that secrete and release secretory products
Ducts - conduits that transport secretory products out of secretory units and out of gland, nonsecretor but may modify the products
Stroma - collagenous CT, reticular CT, and blood vessels and nerves that supply the gland
What are tubular glands?
Secretory unit that can be straight, coiled, or branched
What are acinar glands?
Secretory units are acini
Any spherical exocrine secretory unit
When lumens of acini are larges, they are sometimes called alveolar glands
What are tubuloacinar glands?
Have both tubular and acinar portions