Glandular epithelium

Mr Mickey Banda, Assitant Prof.

College of Medicine
Anatomy Department
School of Medicine
 Learning objectives
1. Describe the Classification of glandular
epithelium
2. Describe the mechanism of excretion of
Exocrine glands
3. Describe the mechanism of excretion of
Endocrine glands
4. Describe some Clinical application concerned
with grandular epithelium
 Glandular epithelium
• Formed by cells specialized secretory
cells
• They are epithelial in origin
• Synthesize, store and secrete
extracellular products
• Glands develop from covering
epithelia
 Glandular epithelium
• Exocrine glands; maintain
connection with the surface
epithelium via the tubular ducts
• Endocrine glands; are Ductless,
release their secretory product
(hormones) into the bloodstream
 Exocrine Glands
Unicellular Glands Multicelullar Glands
 Classification
1. Shape and branch pattern of ducts
- Simple (Unbranched ducts)
- Compound (Branched ducts)
2. Mode of secretion
- Merocrine
- Apocerine
- Holocrine
3.Nature of secretion
- Serous
- Mucous
- Mixed (Seromucous)
 Classification
1. Shape and branch pattern
of ducts
A. Duct portion
• Simple ducts not branched
• Compound - ducts with
two or more branches
 Classification
B. Shape of the secretory
portions
• Tubular – elongated long
tube
• Acinar - rounded and
saclike
• Tubuloacinar - mixed
 Classification
2. Mechanism/Mode of secretion
(A)Merocrine/Eccrine
• Secretory product is released by
exocytosis = secretory granules
leave the cell without any loss of
cell substance; (e.g. pancreas,
salivary glands
 Classification
(B) Apocrine secretion
– the apical part of cytoplasm of the cells is lost together
with the secretory product; (e.g. female mammary
gland)
 Classification
(C) Holocrine secretion
– breakdown and discharge of
the entire secretory cell and its
product; (e.g. sebaceous glands
of the skin)
 Nature of Secretions
• The nature of their secretions maybe serous
glands, mucous glands, or mixed glands.
– Serous: a nonviscous, watery fluid, such as sweat,
milk, tears, or digestive juices
– Mucous: mucin mixes with water to form mucus
– Mixed: contain both serous and mucous
secretions (seromucus)
 Exocrine glands
• Secretory portions –
releases secretory vesicles
• Excretory portion or ducts
- transport the secretion
out of the gland
• Supported by a stroma of
connective tissue
• Form partitions or septa
separating the gland into
lobules
 Simple tubular glands
• Large intestines
• Single, straight tubular
lumen
• Secretory cells line
entire duct (goblet cells)
 Simple coiled tubular
• Sweat glands
• single tube
• terminal secretory
portion S lined by
simple cuboidal
eoithelium
• Duct system D lined by
stratified cuboidal
epithelium
 Simple branched tubular
• Found in the stomach,
uterus
• Each gland consists of
several tubular
secretory portions with
unbranched duct
 Simple acinar glands
• Occur in pockets in
epithelial surface
• Mucus secreting glands
of penileurethra
 Simple branched acinar
• Sebaceous glands
• Each gland has several
secretory acinar with
single excretory duct
• Duct system is stratified
epithelium surrounding
hair follicles
 Compound branched tubular gland
• Brunners’ glands of the
duodenum
• Duct system is branched
• Secretory portion;
branched, tubular
 Compound acinar gland
• Branched dust system
• Secretory unit acinar
• Pancreas
• D centre of acinar
• E branches duct system
simple cuboidal
epithelium
 Compound tubulo-acinar gland
• 3 types of secretory units;
– Branched acinar
– Branched tubular
– Branched tubular with acinar end pieces called
demilunes
• 3 major salivary gands
– Parotid gland
– Submandibular gland
– Sublingal gland
Compound tubulo-acinar gland
Compound tubulo-acinar glands
 Endocrine Glands
• Ductless
• their connection with surface epithelium is
lost during embryonic development
• their specific products – hormones are
released directly into the bloodstream
• each epithelial cell of endocrine gland is in
direct contact with blood capillary
 Endocrine Glands
• Major morphological features of endocrine
glands:
– Ductless
– Rich vascularization as well as innervation
• Special histological structure - 3 main types of
endocrine glands:
– Trabecular
– Follicular
– Disseminated
 Endocrine Glands
• Trabecular type
– made from the cords of the cells –
e.g. adenohypophysis, parathyroid
gland, adrenal glands
 Endocrine Glands
• Follicular type
– the cells form spherical structures – e.g. thyroid
gland
 Disseminated type
• Disseminated type exist in the mucosa of the
digestive, respiratory and uro-genital tract as
well as in the skin
• Occur either as single cells or in small clusters
 Clinical application
• Adenocarcinoma - Malignant
tumors derived from glandular
epithelial tissue
• Adenocarcinomas are by far
the most common tumors in
adults after age 45.
• Acne - hair follicles become
plugged with oil and dead skin
cell
 References
• Mescher AL Junqeira’s Basic histology 13th
Edition
• Young B. et al Wheaters functional histology
5th edition
• Standring S. Grays Anatomy 39th Edition
 The End
Thank you