Glandular Epithelium
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
• At the end of this lecture students of 1st year MBBS should
be able to describe the following:
• Discuss types of Glandular epithelia
• Discuss types and examples of exocrine glands
EPITHELIUM
• Cellular sheets that line the
cavities of organs and cover
the body surface
• TYPES OF EPITHELIA
• Covering epithelium
• Glandular epithelium
Epithelial Functions
• Protection (skin)
• Secretion (Glands)
• Excretion
• Absorption (Intestine)
• Transport
• Receptor function
• Taste buds
• Olfaction
• Retina of eye
GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM
• Epithelial are cells specialized to produce secretion
• Secretion – exocytotic release of products
• Molecules to be secreted may be stored in membrane
bound secretory granules
CLASSIFICATION
• ENDOCRINE
and EXOCRINE
depending on
their route of
secretion
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
• Secretory products called
hormones, are secreted
directly into the blood
• No ducts
EXOCRINE GLANDS
• Release their products onto
the free surface of the skin
or mucous membranes
• Mucous membranes of
digestive, respiratory or
reproductive tracts
EXOCRINE GLANDS CLASSIFICATION
A) Number of cells
Uni- or Multicellular
B) Shape
Tubular, Alveolar (acinar), Tubuloalveolar
D) Mode of secretion
Merocrine, Holocrine, & Apocrine
C) Secretory products
Mucous and Serous
Secretory Component
• Unicellular:
The secretory component consist of single cell distributed
among other non secretory cells.
Example: Goblet cell
• Multicellular:
Are composed of more than one cell
Example: Lining of stomach
Unicellular glands
• They are scattered among other non-secretory epithelial
cells
• They have no ducts, but they secrete their products directly
on the free surface
• The most common unicellular exocrine glands are the goblet
cells (mucus secreting cells)
Unicellular endoepithelial gland: goblet cell
Narrow basal part:
nucleus and RER basophilic
Apical part:
mucin containing secretory granules
foamy apperence
From Dr. Zita Puskár
Goblet cells
trachea
small intestine
Multi cellular[sub classified]
• According to duct:
Simple{unbranched ducts}: Sweat Gland
Compound{ducts branched}: Parotid Gland
• According to Secretory Portion:
• Tubular[like tube]
• Acinar or alveolar[flask like]
• Tubuloalveolar[tube ends in a sac like dilatations]
General Structure of Exocrine Gland
Modes of Secretion
(how products leave the cell)
1) merocrine
- secretion does not affect the well-being of
the cell
sweat glands, salivary glands, pancreas etc.
2) apocrine
- small part of the cell cytoplasm is lost with
the secretion;
mammary glands
3) holocrine
- great deal of cytoplasm is lost with the
secretion; the cell dies.
sebaceous glands
Merocrine, apocrine & holocrine secretion
merocrine apocrine holocrine
-secretory granules Apical part of the The whole cell
are formed inside the
cytoplasm with a part of degenerates, dies
cytoplasm, and leave
the cell-membrane and forms the
the cell with exocytosis,
leaves the surface secretum
pancreas, salivary glands,
mammary gland sebaceous glands
lacimal gland, sweat glands
Types Of Secretion
Mucus Serous
• Secretions are viscous and • Secretions are watery
slimy • Parotid, pancreas &
• Goblet cells, sublingual & submandibular
surface cells of stomach • Poorly glycosylated or non
• Glycosylated proteins glycosylated proteins
• Nucleus flattened and basal • Nucleus is round
• Mucinogen granules{PAS • Stained with H and E
positive}
Mucous gland
- basally located nuclei
- viscous secretory product
- well-seen, wide lumen
- pale-stained, foamy citoplasm with H.E.
Esophagus
Salivary gland HE
Serous glands
- centrally located nucleus
- basophil cytoplasm
Exocrine pancreas HE - narrow lumen
- protein-reach fluidy secretum
Myoepithelium
• Myoepithelium - specialized epithelial cells with
powers of contraction,
• Surround glandular acini and ducts of many glands,
• Contain actin, myosin, cytotokeratin -
definitely epithelial in origin
THANK YOU
