Sweat gland

A skin gland that secretes sweat. Its secretions help regulate body temperature, and some sweat glands also release scent-related substances.

Eccrine sweat gland: A coiled skin gland that releases watery sweat directly onto the skin surface. Its widespread watery secretion provides the main evaporative cooling system.
Skin: The body's outer covering, formed chiefly by the epidermis and dermis. Sweat glands are embedded in skin and deliver their secretions through it.
Hyperhidrosis: A condition involving excessive sweating beyond what is needed for temperature regulation. It arises when sweating is unusually frequent or intense.
Claude Bernard: A French physiologist whose experiments helped establish experimental physiology in the nineteenth century. His work on sympathetic nerves helped clarify neural control of sweating.
Apocrine sweat gland: A sweat gland that releases a protein- and lipid-containing secretion into a hair follicle. Its secretion differs from eccrine sweat and can contribute to body odor.
Epidermis: The outermost layer of skin, forming a protective barrier. Many sweat ducts pass through the epidermis to open at the surface.
Anhidrosis: Absent or greatly reduced sweating in response to heat or exertion. Impaired sweating can prevent adequate cooling and lead to overheating.
Walter B. Cannon: An American physiologist known for research on the autonomic nervous system and homeostasis. His account of bodily regulation helped frame sweating as an autonomic response.
Sweat duct: The narrow channel that carries sweat from a gland to a pore or hair follicle. The duct determines where glandular sweat reaches the skin.
Dermis: The connective-tissue layer beneath the epidermis that contains vessels, nerves, and skin structures. The secretory coils of most sweat glands lie within this layer.

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