Eccrine sweat glands are the specific structures that secrete sweat.
These glands are crucial for thermoregulation, helping the body maintain a stable temperature. When the body temperature rises, whether due to physical activity, increased ambient temperatures, or fever, these glands respond by secreting sweat. This sweat then evaporates from the skin's surface, effectively cooling the body down.
Here's a summary of how eccrine sweat glands function:
- Stimulus: Increased body temperature due to exercise, high ambient temperature, or fever
- Response: Eccrine glands secrete sweat
- Mechanism: Sweat evaporates from the skin
- Result: Body temperature decreases
Key points about eccrine sweat glands based on provided references:
- They are primarily responsible for temperature control.
- They are activated when body temperature increases.
- They secrete sweat to cool the body.
