Eccrine Sweat Glands

Have a wide distribution, all across the body, especially in the hands, feet and forehead.

They consist of ducts, which are a downward budding of the skin and secretory coils deep in the skin, which create the sweat.

Function of Sweat Glands:

• Thermoregulation - control the temperature of the body
• Emotional response - provide a response to psychological stimulus

Composition of the Sweat

• Watery clear, hypotonic (neutral) solution
• Sweat consists of water and salts such as sodium, chloride, potassium, urea, bicarbonate, calcium as well as other excretions from the body such as amino acids

Nervous Control:

• These glands are under sympathetic nervous control
• They are activated to prepare the body for physical activity or emergency
• Stimulated by acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter)
• Respond to Botox® therapy
• Can also be controlled by neurosurgery

Other regulating factors include:

• Hormones,
• Pyrogens (bacterial toxins),
• Physical activities,
• Emotional stimuli,
• Temperature