Eccrine and apocrine sweat glands and sebaceous glands are described. Eccrine glands are present all over the body and secrete sweat to regulate temperature through sympathetic innervation. Apocrine glands are located in axillae and genital regions and secrete an oily fluid during puberty under androgen stimulation. Sebaceous glands are always associated with hair follicles and their sebum production helps moisturize skin and hair.

1. Eccrine and apocrine glands,
sebaceous glands
by:-
Dr.Jikisha Jain

4. Sweat Glands
• Eccrinesweatglands
• Apocrine sweatglands

5. Eccrine glands
They are coiled tubular glands that open
directly on skin surface via sweat pores.

6. Eccrine Sweat Glands
Structure
• Secretory coiled portion
• Intradermal duct
• Intraepidermal duct

7. Secretory part is present in
lower dermis & contains single
layer of secretory cells.
Straight dermal part
contains two layers of cuboidal
epithelial cells and eosinophilic
pseudocuticle on luminal side.
Intraepidermal part is spiral
and here cells are derived from
dermal duct cells hence called as
acrosyringium or epidermal
sweat duct unit.

8. Eccrine Sweat Glands
Innervation
• Postganglionic sympathetic fibers that have
acetylcholine.
• Under the control of hypothalamic sweat centre.
• Activated by emotional & thermalstimuli.
Sites
All over the body skin surface with the highest
density on the palms , soles & forehead.

9. Eccrine Sweat Glands
Development
• As a downgrowth of surface epidermis during
embryogenesis
• No developmental relationship with the pilosebaceous
follicule

10. Eccrine Sweat Glands
Function
• it is asecretory &excretory organ.
• Secretory coil secretes (Nacl, K,bicarbonate, glucose,
lactate)
• Thermoregulation through the continous secretionof
sweat.
• Maintenance of electrolytebalance.
• Keepthe thick stratum corneum moist to ensure fine
tactile skills & pliability of the palms & soles.

11. Eccrine Sweat Glands
Disorders
• Hyperhidrosis
Causes:emotional, neurologic, infectious, neoplastic e.g. lymphoma, hypoestrogenemia
• Hypohidrosis oranhidrosis
Acquired: neuropathy d.t. poral occlusion in patients with scleroderma-
Congenital: hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia,neuropathy
• Sweat retention
Milaria ( crystallina, rubra,profunda)

12. Apocrine Sweat Glands
Apocrine glands are coiled tubular glands
that open in hair root above the opening of
sebaceous gland or directly on the skin
surface.
They are larger than sweat glands and
extend upto SC tissue.

13. Apocrine sweat glands
Structure
• Secretory portion
• Intraepidermal duct
• Intradermal duct

14. Apocrine Glands
• Secretory portion:
Single layer of secretory
cells with outer layer of
myoepithelial cells and lie in
SC tissue.
• Duct:
Consistsof outer basal
cells and inner luminal
cells.

15. Apocrine sweatglands
Earlier ,it was believed that
secretion is due to the separation
of apical cap which was formed
during the maturation of gland
hence the name apocrine but now
it has been established that
secretion occurs due to release of
cytoplasm into lumen more like
merocrine gland.

16. Apocrine Glands
Sites:
• Axillae
• Genital region
• perianal region
They are present as modified glands in:-
• External auditory canal ( ceruminousglands)
• Eyelids( glands ofMoll)
• Breast (mammary glands)

17. Apocrine sweatglands
Innervation
• Postganglionic sympathetic fibers that have adrenaline.
Development
• As an outgrowths of the upper portion of hairfollicle
• Enlargment of the glands occur with approach of
puberty under hormonal stimulation primarilyandrogen
• Theglands do not begin to function untilpuberty

18. Apocrine sweatglands
Composition of apocrinesweat
• cholesterol, triglycerides, FAs,….
• Obstruction→apocrine miliaria ( Fox-Fordycedisease)
• Apocrine sweat is sterile & odorless
• Bacterial decomposition leads to specificodor(
bromohidrosis
• Chromohidrosis: secretion of pigmented sweat{yellow,
green or black)

19. SebaceousGlands
Alwaysassociated with hair follicles except at:
1. Eyelids (Meibomian glands)
2. Femaleareolas (Montgomery tubercules)
3. Prepuce (Tyson’s glands)
4. Buccalmucosa & vermilion border of lips(Fordyce ‘s spot)
sebaceous gland along with hair follicle forms a
pilosebaceous unit.

20. Sebaceous glands have multiple lobules with common excretory
duct.

21. Function of sebum
• It keepshair &skin from becoming dry, brittle
& crackedbydehydration.
• Can inhibit the growth of microorganisms
on the skin.

22. SebaceousGlands
Sites
• All over the body except palms &soles.
• Theyare found in great abundance on the face ,scalp,
upper trunk ,EAC, anogenital areas.
• Acne patients have larger sebaceousglands & produce
more sebum than patients with normalskin

23. SebaceousGlands
Development
• Asan outgrowth from the upper portion of thehair
follicle
• Sebumproduction is an indicator of androgenic
activity & increases at the time of puberty

24. SebaceousGlands
0
2000
birth
Puberty
They are fully developed at birth and gradually
decrease in size to enlarge again at puberty under the
influence of androgens

25. SebaceousGlands
• Sebaceous glands are rich in microorganisms:
Malassezia spp., staphylococcus epidermidis &
propionibacterium spp.
• Sebum consists of:
FFAs,wax sterol esters, TG&squalene

26. SebaceousGlands
• Produce sebum via holocrine secretion ( the cells
themselves actually disintegrate, releasing thesebum)

27. Thank you