Glands Flashcards
What is a gland?
A gland is a group of specialized epithelial cells that are capable of producing secretions
What is a secretion?
The substance produced by a gland
What are the two major types of glands?
Exocrine and endocrine glands
What is an exocrine gland?
Exocrine gland secretes chemical substances into ducts that lead to other organs or out of the body, such as sweat glands (exo- means out of, and -crine means to secrete).
What is an endocrine gland?
Endocrine glands produce hormones, and do not have ducts (endo- means within, and -crine means to secrete).
These hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream and are then transported to organs and structures throughout the body.
The word root aden means
A gland
Adenoids refers to
A mass of gland-like lymphoid tissue at the back of the upper pharynx.
What is adenitis?
Inflammation of a gland (Aden means gland, -itis means inflammation).
What is an adenocarcinoma?
An adenocarcinoma is a malignant tumor that originates in glandular tissue. (Aden/o means gains, carcin mean cancerous, and -oma means tumor).
What does malignant mean?
Harmful, capable of spreading, and potentially life threatening
What is adenoma?
A benign tumor that arises in or resembles glandular tissue (aden means gland, and -oma means tumor).
What does benign mean?
Not life threatening
What is adenomalacia?
The abnormal softening of a gland (Aden/o means gland, and -malacia means abnormal softening). Adenomalacia is the opposite of Adenosclerosis
What is adenosis?
Any disease or condition of a gland (Aden means gland, and -osis means abnormal condition or disease).
What is adenosclerosis?
The abnormal hardening of a gland (Aden/o means gland and -sclerosis means abnormal hardening). Adenosclerosis is the opposite of adenomalacia
