Skin produces associated structures such as sudoriferous (sweat) glands and sebaceous (oil) glands. It also produces fingernails, hair, and sensory receptors that enable humans to feel pressure, temperature, and pain.
Skin produces associated structures such as sudoriferous (sweat) glands and sebaceous (oil) glands. It also produces fingernails, hair, and sensory receptors that enable humans to feel pressure, temperature, and pain.
Both groups of sudoriferous glands (sweat glands) are in most of the body: eccrine glands are coiled ducts deep in the skin that connect to the surface; apocrine glands are in armpits, areolae of nipples, and the genital region. Eccrine glands secrete sweat, a mixture of 99 percent water and 1 percent salts and fats. In warm conditions with low humidity, perspiration (secretion of sweat) and evaporation cool the body.
Apocrine glands, which become active at puberty, are larger, deeper, and produce thicker secretions than eccrine glands. The apocrine glands secretions contain pheromones, substances that enable olfactory (sense of smell) communication with other members of the species. This communication provokes certain behavioral responses such as sexual arousal. Unlike eccrine glands that respond to heat, apocrine glands respond to stress and sexual activity by secreting sweat with a characteristic odor. This odor differs from body odor that results from bacteria decomposing skin secretions on the skin.
Ceruminous glands are modified apocrine glands in the external ear canal lining. They secrete cerumen (earwax), a sticky substance that is thought to repel foreign material.
Mammary glands in female breasts are modified apocrine glands. These glands are adapted to secrete milk instead of sweat.
Sebaceous glands (oil glands) are all over the body except on the palms of hands and soles of feet. The glands empty via ducts into the bases of hair follicles and secrete sebum (a mixture of fats, waxes, and hydrocarbons). Sebum keeps hair moist and prevents skin from drying. Sebaceous glands are numerous on the face and scalp. During puberty, increased sex hormone levels in the blood may produce excessive sebum. This over secretion plugs the gland and hair follicle, producing a skin disorder called acne.
According to pennmedicine