GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM

OBJECTIVES:
Definition of glandular epithelium
•

Types of glandular epithelium

•

Classification of types of epithelium

•

05/27/23 17:23
 WHAT IS GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM?

• Glandular epithelium is the tissue that makes

up the secretory portion of glands.
• The function of glandular epithelium is
SECRETION.
• Secretions from glands include hormones,
digestive enzymes, mucus, sweat, oil, and milk.

05/27/23 17:23
 TYPES OF GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM
 EXOCRINE GLANDS:
 Glands that secrete their products onto the
apical (or epithelia) surface directly OR secrete
their products into ducts or tubes that empty
onto a body surface or into a body cavity .
 Their products are NOT released into the blood
 They include lacrimal (tear) glands, sweat and
oil glands in the skin, salivary glands in the
mouth, the liver (which secretes bile), the
pancreas (which secretes digestive enzymes),
05/27/23 17:23
 ……….EXOCRINE GLANDS CONTINUED
 They include lacrimal (tear) glands, sweat and
oil glands in the skin, salivary glands in the
mouth, the liver (which secretes bile), the
pancreas (which secretes digestive enzymes).
 The secretions are produced by gland cells and
transported to the epithelial surface via ducts.

05/27/23 17:23
 An example of an exocrine
gland
 Salivary gland

05/27/23 17:23
 TYPES OF GLANDS CONTINUED…
 ENDOCRINE GLANDS:
 Endocrine glands secrete their product into the
bloodstream, not into ducts.
 These glands secrete HORMONES.
 Endocrine glands lack a duct system.
 Endocrine glands include the pituitary, thyroid,
parathyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas, testes,
and ovaries.
05/27/23 17:23
 TYPES OF GLANDS
CONTINUED…
 PARACRINE - These glands are similar to
endocrine glands, but their secretions reach
target cells by diffusion through the
extracellular space or immediately subjacent
connective tissue.
 These secretory products are not delivered to
their target tissue via ducts or the bloodstream.

05/27/23 17:23
 CLASSIFICATION OF EXOCRINE
GLANDS
 This classification system is based on five different
morphological criteria.
 1. Number of secretory cells

 UNICELLULAR EXOCRINE GLANDS:

 Unicellular exocrine glands consist of

single cells specialized for secretion scattered amongst other
non-secretory epithelial cells of a surface membrane.


05/27/23 17:23
 UNICELLULAR CONTINUED……
 They have no ducts.
 They secrete their products directly on the free
surface of open body cavities and thus, are
considered exocrine
 Mucus-secreting goblet cells are the only example
of these single-celled glands in humans.
 These goblet cells secrete mucus and are easily
visualised in slides of the small intestine and
epithelium of the trachea

05/27/23 17:23
 UNICELLULAR CONTINUED……
 In routine laboratory preparations, the
cytoplasmic mucin is not preserved giving the
cells an empty appearance.
 Hence the unicellular Goblet cells are best seen in
Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) staining. Goblet cells
have protective and lubricative functions.
 Other examples are goblet cells of the
reproductive, urinary, respiratory and digestive
systems
05/27/23 17:23
Goblet cells in the intestines

05/27/23 17:23
 Multicellular glands
 These glands have many cells
 They are formed by invagination from an
epithelial sheet (in blue)
 but will never lose the duct connecting them
to the free surface of the epithelial sheet .
 The epithelium dips or grows down from the
surface into the underlying tissues to form a
simple or ramified tube (in green).
05/27/23 17:23
 Multicellular glands
continued…
 The blind ends of these tubes constitute the
secretory parts of the gland (in red)) and may
stay tubular or expand to form round bags
called acini or alveoli.

05/27/23 17:23
 Classification of multicellular
exocrine
 Nature of secretions:
 Serous:A cell-type that produces a thin watery,
protein-rich secretion (e.g. the pancreas and parotid
salivary glands are entirely serous in nature).
 Serous cells are polyhedral or pyramidal, with
round, centrally located nuclei.
 These cells exhibit a well-defined polarity.
 In the basal region, serous cells display an intense
basophilia..
05/27/23 17:23
 Serous continued…..
 In the apical region, serous cells contain prominent
Golgi apparatus and numerous rounded, protein-
rich, membrane-bound vesicles called secretory
granules..
 Adjacent serous cells are joined together by
junctional complexes and usually form a spherical
mass of cells called an acinus, with a lumen in the
center.
05/27/23 17:23
 Serous continued…..
 This structure can be likened to a grape attached to
its stem; the stem corresponds to the duct system.
 The pancreas and parotid gland are entirely serous
in composition.
 The percentage of serous versus mucous cells
allows an individual to differentiate between the
pancreas and parotid from the submandibular gland

05/27/23 17:23
 NATURE OF SECRETION
CONTINUED…..
 Mucous:A cell type that is characterized by
numerous large, lightly staining granules containing
strongly hydrophilic glycoproteins called mucins.
 viscous secretions that have a lubricating or
protective function.
 Mucous cells also display a distinct polarity as the
apical cytoplasm is predominantly mucinogen
granules that do not stain with H&E

05/27/23 17:23
 Mucous continued……
 sections due to the high carbohydrate content of the
glycoprotein of the mucin (use a PAS stain instead).
 Their nuclei are basally located (as compared to the
centrally-located nuclei in serous cells).
 The base of the mucous cells also contains rough
endoplasmic reticulum. The Golgi complex, located
just above the nucleus, is exceptionally well
developed.
 `
05/27/23 17:23
 Mucous continued……
 When mucins are released from the cell, they
become highly hydrated and form mucus, a viscous,
elastic, protective lubricating gel.
 The mucous cells show great variability in their
morphological features and in the chemical nature
of their secretions. They are usually cuboidal or
columnar in shape.

05/27/23 17:23
Mucous continued……
 Mucous cells are most often organized as
tubules, consisting of cylindrical arrays of
secretory cells surrounding a lumen.
 Sublingual glands contain mucous acini
predominantly

05/27/23 17:23
NATURE OF SECRETION….
 MIXED:These glands have both serous and
mucous cells.
 The mucous cells form tubules, but their
ends are capped by serous cells that secrete
between the mucous cells’ intercellular
space.
 These serous caps on mucous cells are
called serous demilunes.

05/27/23 17:23
 MIXED CONTINUED
 The sublingual gland contains serous demilunes
amidst its predominant mucous cell population.
 Serous cells are present exclusively on demilunes of
mucous tubules.

05/27/23 17:23
Classification of multicellular
glands continued……
 MECHANISM OF SECRETION:
 The three mechanisms by which secretions
for exocrine glands are extruded are
merocrine, apocrine, or holocrine
secretions.

05/27/23 17:23
 MECHANISM OF SECRETION
 Merocrine secretion ( eccrine secretion ) -
This is secretion where secretory granules
within the cytoplasm of the cell gather at the
apical region of the cell.
 Then, the granule’s limiting membrane fuses
with the apical membrane and the contents of
the granule are opened and released.

05/27/23 17:23
 Merocrine secretion
 This process of fusion and release are
collectively referred to as exocytosis. The
secretory granules leave the cell with no loss of
other cellular material. Mucous and serous cells
exhibit this type of secretion.

05/27/23 17:23
Merocrine secretion

05/27/23 17:23
 MECHANISM OF SECRETION
 APOCRINE:- A rare type of secretion dependent
on sex hormones where secretory granules
within the cytoplasm gather at the apical region
of the cell. Then, a portion of the cytoplasm of
the cell simply pinches off enclosing the
granules. Within the lumen, this small secretory
vesicle breaks down and releases the gland’s
products.
 Apocrine glands become functional at puberty.
05/27/23 17:23
 APOCRINE
 They respond to emotional or sensory stimuli (not to
heat).
 Examples of apocrine glands include lactating
mammary glands, apocrine glands of skin in the
pubic and axilla regions, ciliary (Moll’s) glands of
the eyelid, and the ceruminous glands of the
external acoustic meatus.

05/27/23 17:23
APOCRINE

05/27/23 17:23
 MECHANISM OF SECRETION
 HOLOCRINE:This secretion consists of
disintegrated cells of the gland itself.
 Granules fill the cell until the entire cell
becomes “bloated” with secretory products.
 Instead of being released (merocrine) or
pinched off (apocrine), the whole cell is
discharged into the lumen.

05/27/23 17:23
 HOLOCRINE CONTINUED….
 Once inside the lumen, the cell degenerates
and the secretory products are released.
 This type of secretion occurs primarily in
sebaceous glands within the skin, but also in
the tarsal (Meibomian) glands of the eyelid.

05/27/23 17:23
HOLOCRINE

05/27/23 17:23
 Classification of multicellular
exocrine
 SHAPE OF SECRETORY UNITS
 TUBULAR:An elongated group of secretory cells
with a tube-shaped lumen. Mucous cells are
most often organized as tubules, consisting of
cylindrical arrays of secretory cells surrounding
a lumen. They aid in digestion, example in
intestinal gland.

05/27/23 17:23
 SHAPE OF SECRETORY UNITS

 ACINAR:A small grape-like (acinus means

“grape”) or sac-like (alveolus means “sac”) group
of secretory cells arranged about a small lumen.
 These cells, as they are in other glandular units,
are attached to a basement membrane.
 Adjacent serous cells usually form an acinus with
a lumen in the center. Example are liver and
bulbourethral gland of the male reproductive
system.
05/27/23 17:23
SHAPE OF SECRETORY UNITS

 ) Tubulo-alveolar - Lumen of secretory

units have both of the above listed
shapes (seen in mixed glands with
serous demilunes). Examples are the
parotid salivary gland.

05/27/23 17:23
SHAPE OF SECRETORY UNITS

05/27/23 17:23
 Classification of multicellular
exocrine
 ARRANGEMENT OF DUCT SYSTEM
 a) Simple glands - Glands that have an
unbranched duct into which the cells secrete.
Each secretory portion empties separately on
an epithelial surface.

 b) Branched glands - These glands have

several secretory units empty into an
unbranched excretory duct.
05/27/23 17:23
 ARRANGEMENT OF DUCT
SYSTEM
 c) Compound glands - These glands have
a highly branched duct system. Secretory
portions empty into an elaborate branched
duct system, which, in turn, drain into
larger ducts.

05/27/23 17:23
 EXAMPLES IN
CLASSIFICATION.
 MULTICELLULAR SIMPLE TUBULAR
EXOCRINE GLAND
 the secretory parts of the glands are made
of several secretory cells adjacent to each
others: Multicellular;
 a simple non ramified duct: Simple;
 the secretory part look like a little tube:
Tubular

05/27/23 17:23
 EXAMPLES
 MULTICELLULAR SIMPLE
BRANCHED TUBULAR EXOCRINE
GLAND
 the secretory parts of the glands are
made of several secretory cells
adjacent to each others:
Multicellular;
 a simple non ramified duct: Simple;
 the secretory parts look like little
tubes: Tubular;
 several little tubes share the
same duct: Branched
1.

05/27/23 17:23
 EXAMPLES
 MULTICELLULAR COMPOUND
TUBULOALVEOLAR EXOCRINE GLAND
 the secretory parts of the glands are
made of several secretory cells
adjacent to each others: Multicellular;
 a ramified duct system: Compound;
 the secretory parts look either like little
tubes or like little bags: Tubuloalveolar

05/27/23 17:23
 EXAMPLES
 MULTICELLULAR COMPOUND ALVEOLAR
EXOCRINE GLAND

 the secretory parts of the glands are

made of several secretory cells adjacent
to each others: Multicellular;

 a ramified duct system: Compound;

 the secretory parts look like little bags:
Alveolar.

05/27/23 17:23
 CLASSIFICATION OF
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
 1 Nature of hormone secreted
 Steroid hormones - Enzymes for hormone
synthesis localized in SER.
Ex.:
 Ovary
 Testis
 Adrenal cortex
 Placenta
05/27/23 17:23
 Nature of hormone
secreted
 Polypeptide hormones - May be simple proteins or
glycoproteins. Best demonstrated by
immunoperoxidase staining of cells using antibody
reacting specifically with hormone.
Ex.:
 hypophysis (pituitary)
 thyroid (parafollicular cells)
 parathyroid
 pancreatic islets
 diffuse neuroendocrine system - APUD cells
 placenta
05/27/23 17:23
Nature of hormone
secreted
 Amino acid derivatives
Ex.:
 Thyroid (follicular cells)
 Adrenal medulla
 Pineal
 Diffuse neuroendocrine system - APUD
cells
05/27/23 17:23
 CLASSIFICATION OF
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
 2 Organization of Endocrine Glands
Discrete endocrine glands
Hypophysis ,Thyroid ,Parathyroid ,Adrenals ,Pineal
Endocrine components of endocrine/exocrine
glands
Pancreas - Islets of Langerhans
Ovary - Follicle, corpus luteum
Testis - Leydig cells
Kidney - Juxtaglomerular cells
Placenta - Syncytiotrophoblast
05/27/23 17:23
 Site of Action of Hormone

 Paracrine - acts on nearby cells

 Autocrine - acts on cell producing hormone.

05/27/23 17:23
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

05/27/23 17:23
 APPRECIATION
 GREAT GOD OF WONDERS

 LAMBERT H WAYNE Ph.D

 DAVID H. CORMACK Ph.D
 CHRISSIE ABAIDOO Ph.D


 PETER KWARTENG (H.B 3)

05/27/23 17:23
G-C4:
 Group president- FIDELIS(MARCUS GARVEY)
 AMO
 FRED
 AHIABOR
 AWAGAH
 EMMA
 BOTA
 JOE T
 QUAYE
 KUMI

05/27/23 17:23
GRACIAS
 NOW TIME FOR YOUR
QUESTIONS…
 “ANAIS NIN:
The possession of knowledge does not kill the
SENSE of wonder and mystery.
 There is always more mystery

05/27/23 17:23
 2 Organization of
Endocrine Glands
 Diffuse neuroendocrine system - Aka APUD cells,
 Widely distributed in body organs; over 30 types identified.
 Histology: located adjacent to, and secrete toward, the
basal lamina of epithelial surfaces; basal secretory
granules, in EM; may secrete both polypeptide (act at a
distant site) and amine (act on nearby cells) hormone
products.
 In GI system, comprise enteroendocrine cells. Less well
understood in other organ systems. - e.g., Merkel cells in
skin

05/27/23 17:23