Alveolar gland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Alveolar gland | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Section of pancreas of dog. X 250. | |
 |
|
| Centroacinar cells | |
| Dorlands/Elsevier | g_06/12391106 |
In contrast to tubular glands, in the second main variety of gland, the secretory portion is enlarged and the lumen variously increased in size. These are termed alveolar glands[1] (or saccular glands[2][3], or acinar glands[4], or acinous glands[5][6]).
Some sources draw a clear distinction between acinar and alveolar glands, based upon the shape of the lumen.[7]
A further complication in the case of the alveolar glands may occur in the form of still smaller saccular diverticuli growing out from the main sacculi. These are termed alveoli.
The term "tubulo-alveolar" (or "tubulo-acinar"[8], or "compound tubulo-acinar", or "compound tubulo-alveolar"[9]) is used to describe that start out as branched tubular, and branch further to terminate in alveoli. This type of gland is found in the salivary glands[10][11] and esophagus[12].
The term "racemose gland"[13] is used to describe a "compound alveolar gland" or "compound acinar gland".[14]
[edit] Additional images
 Alveoli of lacrimal gland. |
 Human submaxillary gland. At the right is a group of mucous alveoli, at the left a group of serous alveoli. |
 Section of portion of mamma. |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Dictionary at eMedicine Alveolar+gland
- ^ Dictionary at eMedicine Saccular+gland
- ^ Dorlands/Elsevier g_06/12391913
- ^ http://students.kennesaw.edu/~rnn6016/acinar.html
- ^ Dictionary at eMedicine Acinous+gland
- ^ Dorlands/Elsevier g_06/12391106
- ^ http://www.lab.anhb.uwa.edu.au/mb140/CorePages/Epithelia/Epithel.htm#Classification
- ^ Dorlands/Elsevier g_06/12392145
- ^ Histology at KUMC glands-glands17
- ^ Histology at KUMC glands-glands14 "Compound Tubulo- Alveolar"
- ^ Histology at USC epi/c_58
- ^ MedEd at Loyola histo/practical/epithelium/hp1-28.html
- ^ Dictionary at eMedicine Racemose+gland
- ^ http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/intro/glands.htm#acinus
mechanism (Merocrine, Apocrine, Holocrine) shape (Tubular gland, Alveolar gland) secretion (Serous glands, Mucous glands, Serous demilune)
Ducts: Interlobar duct, Interlobular duct, Intralobular duct (Striated duct, Intercalated duct), Acinus
 |
This anatomy article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
