Some Morphologic and Pharmacologic Observations on the Apocrine Glands in the Tail of the Goat

The sweat gland in the ventral side of the goat tail has a glomerular secretory tubule lined with one layer of flat or cuboidal cells. In some segments of the gland, the cell exhibit a typical apocrine pattern of secretory activity. The gland, but not the duct, is invested with a well-developed layer myoepithelium. The opening of the duct is near the orifice of the pilary canal. A nerve net work which contains acetylcholinesterase surrounds the secretory coil of the gland. Sweating produced in these glands by thermal and emotional stimulation was inhibited by dihydroergotamine and phenoxybenzamine, but not by propranolol and atropine. These glands are highly sensitive to adrenalin and noradrenalin but almost totally unresponsive to isopropylnoradrenalin. The glands also respond to such cholinergic agents as acetylcholine, mecholyl, and carbachol, but not to pilocarpine. Axon reflex sweating could not be produced. The pharmacologic response of apocrine glands in men and other animals is discussed with special reference in their control mechanism