Chapter 36 - Structure and Function of Eccrine, Apocrine, Apoeccrine and Sebaceous Glands

Question 1

What are the three types of sweat glands?

Answer 1

Eccrine, apocrine, and apoeccrine

Question 2

True or false: the apical portions of both eccrine and apocrine glands are called acrosyringium.

Answer 2

True, although the acrosyringia of eccrine glands empty onto the surface of the skin, white the acrosyringia of apocrine glands empty into hair follicles

Question 3

What type of fibres innervate eccrine glands? Apocrine glands? Apoeccrine glands?

Answer 3

They’re all innervated by sympathetic fibres that use acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter

Question 4

Where are apoeccrine glands found on the body? Do they occur in both adults and children?

Answer 4

They’re found in the axillae of adults only

Question 5

Is there a relationship of apoeccrine glands to pilosebaceous units?

Answer 5

No

Question 6

Are all three types of sweat glands present at birth?

Answer 6

No, only eccrine glands (active at birth) and apocrine glands (inactive at birth) are present; apoeccrine glands probably develop during adolescence

Question 7

Eccrine sweat is a sterile dilute electrolyte solution. Does the concentration of electrolytes depend on the flow rate?

Answer 7

Yes; the higher the flow rate, the higher the electrolyte concentration

Question 8

Do patients with CF have sweat that’s too salty or too dilute?

Answer 8

Too salty

Question 9

Name two odor-producing substances that bacteria can produce in the context of eccrine bromhidrosis.

Answer 9

Ammonia and short-chain fatty acids

Question 10

True or false: bacterial degradation of both eccrine and apocrine sweat can produce bromhidrosis.

Answer 10

True; both eccrine and apocrine sweat is essentially without scent prior to bacterial breakdown

Question 11

Where are apoeccrine glands found?

Answer 11

Axillae of adults, but not children

Question 12

What are the 3 types of cells found on histology of an eccrine secretory coil?

Answer 12

1) large clear cells, 2) dark cells, 3) surrounding myoepithelial cells

Question 13

Which type of sweat gland is stimulated by more alpha adrenergic fibers?

Answer 13

Apocrine

Question 14

Which type of sweat gland is stimulated by more beta adrenergic fibers?

Answer 14

Eccrine and apoeccrine

Question 15

What are 4 methods of studying sweat production?

Answer 15

1) iodine starch reaction, 2) eelctric potential and resistance measurement, 3) skin temperature measurement, 4) gravimetry

Question 16

What type of drugs is well known to be secreted into eccrine glands?

Answer 16

Chemotherapeutic agents, antibiotics, antifungals

Question 17

What 3 micro-organisms are found in sebaceous glands associated with hair follicles? Hint: 1 fungus, 2 bacteria

Answer 17

1) Malassezia spp., 2) Staphylococcus epidermidis, 3) Propionibacterium spp.

Question 18

What are the 3 types of pilosebaceous units?

Answer 18

1) vellus hair follicles, 2) sebaceous follicles, 3) terminal hair follicles

Question 19

What hormone controls sebaceous gland development and sebum production?

Answer 19

5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT)

Question 20

What are the precursors of DHT in men and women?

Answer 20

In men, testosterone; in women, androstenedione

Question 21

What does chromhidrosis mean?

Answer 21

Secretion of pigmented sweat (eg. yellow, green, black), which reflects the rich lipofuscin content of apocrine sweat or chromogenic bacteria or garments

Question 22

What areas of the body don’t have eccrine sweat glands?

Answer 22

1. External auditory canal
2. Vermillion border of lips
3. Clitoris
4. Labia minors
5. Glans penis

Question 23

What are the main innervation/ neurotransmitter for all types of sweat glands?

Answer 23

Post ganglionic sympathetic fibers

Acetylcholine

Question 24

Where are appoeccrine sweat glands found?

Answer 24

Axilla of adults

Question 25

What is the mode of secretion of apocrine cells?

Answer 25

Decapitation

Question 26

What anti fungal agents are excreted in the sweat?

Answer 26

Ketoconazole

Griseofulvin

Question 27

What causes pseudochromhidrosis?

Answer 27

Chromgenic bacteria

i.e corynebacterium

Question 28

True or false: apoeccrine sweat glands are more in patients with hyperhidrosis

Answer 28

True

Question 29

True or false: sebum in sebaceous glands and within ducts contains free fatty acids

Answer 29

False

In the infundibulum p. acnes lipases split di- and TG to produce free fatty acids

Question 30

What is the first detectable sign of acne?

Answer 30

Abnormal keratinization within the infundibulum