Glandular Tissue

• These are epithelial cells that are specialized

for secretion.
• Two main types of glands-
Exocrine glands- communicate with the
surface through a duct.
Endocrine glands- convey secretions to the
blood stream.
• The two main components of exocrine glands
Secretory units and ducts
Glands may exist as:
• single cell in an epithelium-unicellular glands
(goblet cells)
• groups of cells in the wall of a viscus, the
secretions are conveyed by single or branched
ducts into the lumen of the viscus (gastric glands
- stomach)
• distinct encapsulated structures.
secretory units and branching duct system are
arranged within a connective
framework.(salivary glands, pancreas)
Glands with a duct system-
• Such a gland is divided into lobules by
connective tissue septa- the interlobular
septa extend from the capsule.
• In the lobules, are secretory units and smaller
ducts called the intralobular ducts lined by
simple cuboidal epithelium.
• These ducts communicate with the larger
interlobular ducts that lie in the connective
tissue septa.
• The larger ducts have a thicker lining of
stratified cuboidal or columnar epithelium and
open into the main duct.
Classification and characteristic features of
glands vary, depending on
• the form and arrangement of the component
parts
• the nature of the secretion
• the mechanism of secretion
Structural variation of glands is according to
• the shape of the secretary units- tubular
(elongated), alveolar (ovoid) acinar(rounded)
• the pattern of branching of the ducts- simple or
unbranched, compound or branched
• Tubular secretory unit
• Acinar – grape like
• Alveolar–flask shaped
• Tubulo-alveolar / acinar
• Simple tubular –
crypts of Lieberkuhn-
intestine
• Simple coiled tubular-
sweat glands
• Simple branched
tubular- gastric glands
• Simple acinar-urethral
glands
• Simple branched
acinar – sebaceous
glands
• Compound tubular-
Brunner’s glands
• Compound acinar-
Pancreas
• Compound
branched tubulo-
alveolar-
Prostate
• Compound
branched tubulo-
acinar-
Submandibular gland
Nature of secretion:
• Glands may be serous, mucous or mixed.
• Glands that secrete a watery or serous fluid are
the serous glands (parotid salivary gland,
exocrine pancreas).
• Glands that secrete a thick mucous like
secretion are mucous glands.
• Mixed glands have serous, mucous and mixed
units
Serous glands:
• The secretory cells are arranged in serous
units
• cells have a deeply stained bluish granular
cytoplasm due to the presence of ribosomes and
secretory granules.
• The nuclei are rounded and at the base of the
cell.
• The secretions are protein in nature.
Mucous gland:
• The cells of a mucous unit have drops of mucous
in their cytoplasm
• Mucous stain pale with H&E and are PAS +ve.
• The nuclei are pushed to the base of the cell by
the mucous droplets. (sublingual gland)
Mixed glands:
• made up of mucous units capped by a crescentic
mass of serous cells -serous demilunes.
• In the mixed units, secretions from the serous
cells pass through canals between the mucous
cells to open into the lumen of a mucous unit
• There may be separate serous and mucous
units also in a mixed gland.
• Surrounding the secretory unit are myoepithelial
cells or basket cells.
• They have numerous cytoplasmic processes
and a contractile function.
• They help to expel the secretions into the lumen.
Mechanism of secretion: 3 types
Merocrine type
Holocrine type
Apocrine type
Merocrine type of secretion-
• Glands store their secretions in secretory
granules
• discharge the secretions into the lumen by
exocytosis. (salivary glands, pancreas)

Holocrine type of secretion-

• entire cell disintegrates and form the secretion
and discharged into the lumen of the gland
Sebaceous gland).

Apocrine secretion:
• part of the cytoplasm is discharged as secretion
mammary gland, large axillary sweat glands .
Endocrines glands
characterized by:
• simple arrangement of cells in the form of
cords or small groups found in close
relation to capillaries.
• The secretion may pass directly into the
capillaries (pituitary, adrenal) or as in the
thyroid, be stored in the lumen of a follicle.