Apocrine Sweat Glands

Have a more limited distribution, but are found in the following areas;

• Axilla (underarm),
• Perianal (near the anal area)
• Areole, (nipple)
• Periumbilical (around the belly button),
• Genital area,
• External ear canal,
• Eyelids
• Also consists of ducts and secretory coils, but these glands are larger than eccrine glands and open onto hair follicles.

Function:

• There are no known functions attributed to apocrine sweat glands in humans.
• They are a genetic remnant of the mammalian sexual scent gland

Composition of apocrine sweat:

• Thick, milky fluid
• Excretions include protein, ammonia, lipids, chromogranins (family of proteins)
• Bacterial decomposition leads to odor
• Produce proteins equivalent to pheromones in non-human mammalian species

Nervous Control:

• Activated by same sympathetic nerves as eccrine glands in the same region,
• But different nerve fibers and different nerve transmitters control the glands
• Respond to catecholamine, not acetylcholine (unlike ecrine glands)
• Do not respond to Botox® treatment