Innervation of the apocrine sweat glands

Abstract

The apocrine glands of the oral angle of the squirrel, and of the hairy skin of the body and the anal sacs of the cat possess cholinergic and adrenergic innervation. Their secretory tubules are enlaced by cholinergic nerves containing chiefly non-specific cholinesterase; the acetylcholinesterase concentration in them is very low in the squirrel and i the glands of the skin of the cat's body, and higher in the glands of the anal sac of the cat. The adrenergic nerve fibers of the apocrine glands possess a very low monoamine oxidase concentration; however, their nonmyelinated terminals, lying on the secretory cells and reaching the lumen of the secretory division, are rich in monoamine oxidase. The innervation of the apocrine and eccrine sweat glands is very similar; in the nerves of the apocrine glands, the acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase concentrations are lower in comparison with the nerves of the eccrine glands; the monoamine oxidase concentration is also lower in cells of the apocrine glands. The question of the essential similarity of the innervation of both types of skin glands - skin and sebaceous - is discussed.