Eccrine sweat gland

An eccrine sweat gland is a coiled skin gland that releases watery sweat onto the skin surface through a duct. Its secretion supports thermoregulation and contributes to skin-surface chemistry.

Eccrine sweat gland secretion: The production and release of watery sweat by eccrine glands. Secretory cells move fluid into the gland lumen before it travels toward the skin.
Secretory coil: The coiled, secretory portion of a sweat gland located in the deep dermis or subcutis. This gland region generates the initial watery fluid.
Thermoregulation: The maintenance of a body's temperature within a range compatible with normal function. Eccrine sweat evaporation is a major human route for heat loss.
Apocrine sweat gland: A skin gland that releases a protein- and lipid-rich secretion into a hair follicle, chiefly in selected body regions. Unlike eccrine glands, apocrine glands usually empty into hair follicles and become active around puberty.
Acetylcholine: A neurotransmitter that carries signals across synapses and activates muscarinic receptors in several tissues. Sympathetic nerves chiefly stimulate eccrine secretion using acetylcholine.
Dermis: The connective-tissue layer of skin beneath the epidermis. Eccrine secretory coils commonly lie deep in the dermis.
Hyperhidrosis: Excessive sweating beyond what is needed for thermoregulation. Overactive eccrine sweating causes many cases of this condition.
Sebaceous gland: A skin gland that secretes sebum, an oily substance, usually into a hair follicle. It produces oil rather than the watery sweat made by eccrine glands.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor: A G-protein-coupled receptor activated by acetylcholine. Receptors on eccrine secretory cells translate nerve activity into fluid secretion.
Epidermis: The outer epithelial layer of skin. The eccrine duct passes through it to open at the skin surface.

Linked from 15 pages