Ceruminous glands are specialized
sudoriferous glands (sweat glands) located
subcutaneously
The subcutaneous tissue (), also called the hypodermis, hypoderm (), subcutis, superficial fascia, is the lowermost layer of the integumentary system in vertebrates. The types of cells found in the layer are fibroblasts, adipose cells, and ma ...
in the
external auditory canal, in the outer 1/3. Ceruminous glands are simple, coiled, tubular glands made up of an inner secretory layer of cells and an outer
myoepithelial layer of cells.
They are classed as
apocrine
Apocrine () glands are a type of exocrine gland, which are themselves a type of gland, i.e. a group of cells specialized for the release of secretions. Exocrine glands secrete by one of three means: holocrine, merocrine and apocrine. In apocrine ...
glands. The glands drain into larger ducts, which then drain into the guard hairs that reside in the
external auditory canal.
Here they produce
cerumen, or earwax, by mixing their secretion with
sebum and dead
epidermal cells.
Cerumen keeps the eardrum pliable, lubricates and cleans the
external auditory canal, waterproofs the canal, kills bacteria, and serves as a barrier to trap foreign particles (dust, fungal spores, etc.) by coating the guard hairs of the ear, making them sticky.
These glands are capable of developing both
benign and
malignant
Malignancy () is the tendency of a medical condition to become progressively worse.
Malignancy is most familiar as a characterization of cancer. A ''malignant'' tumor contrasts with a non-cancerous ''benign'' tumor in that a malignancy is not s ...
tumors. The
benign tumors include
ceruminous adenoma,
ceruminous pleomorphic adenoma, and
ceruminous syringocystadenoma papilliferum. The malignant tumors include
ceruminous adenocarcinoma,
adenoid cystic carcinoma, and
mucoepidermoid carcinoma.
See also
*
List of specialized glands within the human integumentary system
References
External links
Anatomy Atlases - Ceruminous Gland
Glands
Ear
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