A gland which produces sweat, situated beneath the dermis and connected to the skin surface by a sweat duct.
A structure in the skin that produces sweat, a salt solution. Sweat glands are located in the dermis layer of the skin. There are two kinds of sweat glands. Eccrine glands, the more common type, are found in much of the skin, except for the lips and external genitals. The eccrine glands release sweat onto the surface of the skin for cooling by evaporation. Apocrine glands secrete strongly scented sweat onto hair follicles instead of onto the skin surface. These glands, found in the underarms close to the nipples and around the genitals, secrete sweat in response to emotion or stress. Sweating is regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain, as part of the autonomic nervous system (which controls involuntary body functions).
A simple, coiled, tubular gland found on all body surfaces except the margin of the lips, glans penis, and inner surface of the prepuce. The coiled secreting portion lies in the corium or subcutaneous portion of skin; the secretory duct follows a straight or oblique course through the dermis but becomes spiral in passing through the epidermis to its opening, a sweat pore. Most sweat glands are merocrine; those of the axilla, areola, mammary gland, labia majora, and circumanal region are apocrine. Sweat glands are most numerous on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.