An adenomere is the functional unit in a developing gland.
The glands include the
salivary
The salivary glands in mammals are exocrine glands that produce saliva through a system of ducts. Humans have three paired major salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, and sublingual), as well as hundreds of minor salivary glands. Salivary glan ...
and
lacrimal gland
The lacrimal glands are paired exocrine glands, one for each eye, found in most terrestrial vertebrates and some marine mammals, that secrete the aqueous layer of the tear film. In humans, they are situated in the upper lateral region of each or ...
s. Adenomeres are secretory
sublobular units having a centrally located collecting duct that connects with postcapillary venules; and is a structural-functional unit in the gland.
They consist of all the
secretory cell 440px
Secretion is the movement of material from one point to another, such as a secreted chemical substance from a cell or gland. In contrast, excretion is the removal of certain substances or waste products from a cell or organism. The classica ...
s that release their products into a single
intralobular duct
In anatomy and physiology, a duct is a circumscribed channel leading from an exocrine gland or organ.
Types of ducts
Examples include:
Duct system
As ducts travel from the acinus which generates the fluid to the target, the ducts become larger ...
.
An adenomere is composed of:
# Intercalated ducts: transport saliva to larger ducts.
# Striated ducts: contain a lot of mitochondria responsible for electrolyte and water transport during secretion. Simple, low columnar epithelium line these ducts.
# Glandular cells: synthesize glycoproteins.
See also
*
Digestive system
References
Exocrine system
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