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Apocrine sweat gland

Hypodermis & appendages · detail · Adrenergic Axilla, anogenital Hidradenitis

Androgen-dependent gland that opens into the follicular infundibulum above the sebaceous duct, confined to the axilla, areola, anogenital skin, external auditory canal and eyelid. It contributes nothing to thermoregulation.

Traced from the start

  1. Stratum basale (germinativum)
  2. Lamina densa (type IV collagen basement membrane)Sublamina densa anchoring fibrils (type VII collagen)
  3. Papillary dermis
  4. Reticular dermis
  5. Apocrine sweat gland

Detail

Sites
Axilla, areola, anogenital skin, external auditory canal (ceruminous glands) and eyelid (glands of Moll)
Innervation
Adrenergic sympathetic fibres, so it responds to emotional stress, fear and pain rather than to core temperature
Onset
Non-functional until puberty, when androgens activate it
Secretion
Odourless when released; body odour is produced by cutaneous bacterial degradation of it

When it goes wrong

Follicular occlusion and rupture in apocrine-bearing skin (hidradenitis suppurativa)

Recurrent painful nodules, sinus tracts and scarring in axillae, groin and under the breasts; strongly associated with smoking and obesity, and severe disease responds to TNF inhibitors

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