Glands

Glands of the body are classified as either exocrine or endocrine types. Exocrine glands are
glands that retain ducts to body surfaces. During development, endocrine glands lose their
contacts to embryological surfaces(ducts) and become isolated as small blocks of tissues.
Endocrine glands are therefore referred to as "ductless" glands.

Endocrine and exocrine glands secrete various products. These include hormones, enzymes,
metabolites, and other molecules. In exocrine glands, products of these cells collect in the duct
of the gland and flow toward the surface to which the duct is in contact. Since endocrine glands
lack ducts, the product is released across the cell membrane into interstitial spaces around the
cells. Diffusion of the product into capillaries follows.

Exocrine Glands

Most glands of the body are exocrine types with ducts connecting to anatomical surfaces.
Contrast your salivary glands that open into the oral cavity with sweat glands that deposit their
product on the body surface. Both types of glands are buried in deeper tissues but their products
appear on a superficial surface. Connecting the glands to the surfaces are ducts!

A great deal of variation can be found in the design of glands. They are classified into simple and
compound types. Note there are tubular and alveolar types!

Here is a branched alveolar type, a sebaceous gland associated with a hair follicle!

Modes of Secretion

Secretory cells of exocrine glands release their products into ducts in three different ways. The
mode of secretion can be classified as merocrine, apocrine, or holocrine.

Cells that secrete products via the merocrine method form membrane-bound secretory vesicles
internal to the cell. These are moved to the apical surface where the vesicles coalesce with the
membrane on the apical surface to release the product. Most glands release their products in
way.
Examples

Typical exocrine glands include sweat glands, salivary glands, mammary glands,
stomach, liver, pancreas. (Example of an endocrine gland is the adrenal gland, which is
found on top of the kidneys and secretes the hormone adrenaline, among