Glands Flashcards
What type of tissue are glands?
Epithelial
What are glands (in basic terms; name two types + role).
Multicellular organs or individual cells that secrete substances for use in the body.
What two groups are glands categorised into?
Endocrine and exocrine
What is the role of endocrine glands?
Secrete their products, mainly hormones, directly into the bloodstream or interstitial fluid that surrounds cells.
Name some endocrine glands.
Adrenal, pituitary, thyroid
What is the role of exocrine glands?
Typically secrete products into a duct or onto a surface, such as the skin, but not into the bloodstream.
How many cells do exocrine glands have?
Can be unicellular or multicellular - unicellular do not contain ducts.
Give an example of a unicellular exocrine gland.
Goblet cell
What two ways can multicellular exocrine glands be classified?
- By form
- By secretion method
What are the two different forms of exocrine glands and describe their features.
- Simple - single duct
- Compound - branching ducts
What are the two different forms of the secretory portion of the gland and describe what they look like.
- Tubular - diameter of duct = secretory portion.
- Acinar/alveolar - secretory portion forms a sac like shape.
What are three basic types of secretion method?
Merocrine, apocrine and holocrine
Define merocrine glands and give an example.
Release their secretions through the process of exocytosis, where secretory vesicles are released through the plasma membrane without damaging the cell itself.
Salivary glands
Define apocrine glands and give an example.
Pinch off a portion of the cell to release their secretory products.
Mammary and some sweat glands
Define holocrine glands and give an example.
Cells accumulate a secretory product and the entire cell ruptures to release it.
Certain skin/eyelid glands
