The cytology of apocrine sweat glands

Summary The apocrine sweat glands of cat and monkey have been studied by light and electron microscopy. The apocrine secretory cells of the cat are columnar cells with prominent apical cytoplasmic caps extending into the gland lumen beyond the zone of terminal bars (zonulae occludentes). Many secretory vacuoles are present in the cytoplasm, and they contain acid mucopolysaccharide demonstrable by light microscopy. These secretory vacuoles arise from prosecretory vacuoles in the region of the Golgi apparatus and are liberated from the apical cell surface as in other merocrine cells. The apocrine duct is short and the cells have scant mitochondria. The apocrine secretory cells of the monkey have secretory vacuoles similar to those of the cat but are fewer in number. The monkey apocrine cells also contain unidentified bodies similar to those seen in Langerhans cells of the epidermis. These cells liberate secretory vacuoles in a merocrine manner. Apocrine or decapitation secretion is regarded as an artifact.This investigation was supported in part by United States Public Health Service research grants GM-03784 and GM-10102 from the Institute of General Medical Sciences.