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DISCUSSION TOPIC 2 Exocrine Glands There are specialized epithelial glands for s

ID: 3479028 • Letter: D

Question

DISCUSSION TOPIC 2 Exocrine Glands There are specialized epithelial glands for secretion of their products. There are two main types: exocrine and endocrine. Exocrine glands secrete their product into a system of ducts that lead ultimately to the exterior of the body. Endocrine glands, in contrast, place their secretions directly into the blood 1. Why would a person born with an absence of sweat glands be very susceptible to death by exposure to heat? 2. Select one type of exocrine gland and relate its type with its function. Be sure to make good use of the information in your textbook as well any resources you find online! Don't forget to correctly cite any source you use. In order to avoid plagiarism, be sure to run your response through the Plagiarism Checker BEFORE posting!

Explanation / Answer

1. Anhidrosis or hypohidrosis is a dysfunction in which a person is unable to sweat when they are hot. Anhidrosis refers to the complete absence of sweating, while hypohidrosis is when a person sweats less than normal.

Sweating allows heat to be released from the body. If people cannot sweat properly, they cannot cool themselves, and this can be harmful.

If the condition affects a small area of the body, it is not usually dangerous, but anhidrosis or hypohidrosis of the entire body can result in overheating and eventually heatstroke, a potentially life-threatening condition. A person may not realize they have the condition until it is serious.

Thermoregulation is a vital function of the autonomic nervous system in response to cold and heat stress. Thermoregulatory physiology sustains health by keeping body core temperature within a degree or two of 37 °C, which enables normal cellular function. Heat production and dissipation are dependent on a coordinated set of autonomic responses. The clinical detection of thermoregulatory impairment provides important diagnostic and localizing information in the evaluation of disorders that impair thermoregulatory pathways, including autonomic neuropathies and ganglionopathies. Failure of neural thermoregulatory mechanisms or exposure to extreme or sustained temperatures that overwhelm the body's thermoregulatory capacity can also result in potentially life-threatening departures from normothermia.

2. The salivary glands produce saliva, which keeps the mouth and other parts of the digestive system moist.

It also helps break down carbohydrates (with salivary amylase, formerly known as ptyalin) and lubricates the passage of food down from the oro-pharynx to the esophagus to the stomach. The glands are found in and around your mouth and throat. We call the major salivary glands the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands.

• parotid glands produce a serous, watery secretion

• submaxillary (mandibular) glands produce a mixed serous and mucous secretion

• sublingual glands secrete a saliva that is predominantly mucous in character

Parotid glands

Parotid glands are the largest of the major salivary glands. Each of these glands measures 6 cm long and 3-4 cm wide and can weigh up to 30 grams.

They are located on both sides of the face below the zygomatic arch and behind the jaw.

Approximately 20% of saliva is produced by parotid glands. This saliva is serous, that is, more liquid and fluid.

Certain diseases or the intake of substances like alcohol or certain drugs can affect the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), producing vasoconstriction of the parotid glands and reducing the secretion of saliva. This is the main reason why alcohol abuse is directly related to the lack of saliva.

Functions of Parotid glands:

Two parotid glands are located within each of our cheeks. Parotid glands are the largest type of salivary gland. They account for up to twenty percent of the saliva in our oral cavity. Their main role lies in facilitating mastication, or “chewing,” and in commencing the first digestive phase of our food. The parotid gland is notably labelled a serous type of gland. Serous glands are those that secrete protein-rich fluid, which in this case is an enzyme-rich suspension of alpha-amylase.