
Merocrine (or eccrine) is a term used to classify
exocrine glands and their secretions in the study of
histology
Histology,
also known as microscopic anatomy or microanatomy, is the branch of biology that studies the microscopic anatomy of biological tissue (biology), tissues. Histology is the microscopic counterpart to gross anatomy, which looks at large ...
. A cell is classified as merocrine if the secretions of that cell are excreted via
exocytosis from secretory cells into an
epithelial-walled duct or ducts and then onto a bodily surface or into the
lumen.
Merocrine is the most common manner of secretion. The gland releases its product and no part of the gland is lost or damaged (compare
holocrine and
apocrine).
The term eccrine is specifically used to designate merocrine secretions from
sweat glands
Sweat glands, also known as sudoriferous or sudoriparous glands, , are small tubular structures of the skin that produce sweat. Sweat glands are a type of exocrine gland, which are glands that produce and secrete substances onto an epithelial sur ...
(
eccrine sweat glands), although the term merocrine is often used interchangeably.
Examples
*
*
*
Paneth cells of the intestine
[ ]
* Certain
sweat gland
Sweat glands, also known as sudoriferous or sudoriparous glands, , are small tubular structures of the skin that produce sweat. Sweat glands are a type of exocrine gland, which are glands that produce and secrete substances onto an epithelial s ...
s
References
External links
Secretory Diagram
{{Glands
Exocrine system