Shown is a serous gland stained with H&E. These types of glands are found in salivary glands, sweat glands, and tear ducks. On this slide, the gland is secreting hormones in vesicles. This is called apocrine secretion. Although a giraffe's spots look like tiny vesicles, they do not transport anything. I think they are mostly used for camouflage. But, I also read (on wikipedia) that the splotches serve as "thermal windows" where sweat glands, made of serous glands like those shown above, congregate. I kinda think the serous gland slide looks like a giraffe's head with vesicle-googly-eyes. But its late and I am tired.
No comments:
Post a Comment