What Type Of Skin Gland Secretes Earwax?

Earwax: Sweat and Cerumen Glands: Role 3

Glands of the Skin of the Ear Canal

Figure 1. The outer (cartilaginous) one-third portion of the ear canal (shown in red) is the location for the production of cerumen (earwax). The cartilaginous ear canal skin thickness is from 1 to 1.5 mm. The skin thickness underlying the bony (inner two-thirds) of the ear canal is approximately 0.1 mm in — Effigy 1. The outer (cartilaginous) one-third portion of the ear canal (shown in red) is the location for the production of cerumen (earwax). The cartilaginous ear canal pare thickness is from 1 to 1.v mm. The skin thickness underlying the bony (inner two-thirds) of the ear culvert is approximately 0.i mm in "thinness," and as a consequence, has bereft construction or thickness to comprise sebaceous or modified apocrine glands.

Earwax is the result of the action of sweat and cerumen glands in the pare lining of the outer portion of the ear canal (Figure i). The dermis of the skin of the cartilaginous ear canal contains two exocrine glands that are involved in the production of cerumen. Exocrine glands secrete their products via ducts opening through the peel rather than straight into the bloodstream (endocrine glands). The ii exocrine glands of the ear canal are the sebaceous (oil) glands and sudoriferous apocrine (sweat) glands.

Sebaceous (oil) Glands

Sebaceous glands secrete an oily substance called sebum (Latin, meaning fat or tallow). This consists of fatty (lipids) and the droppings of dead fat-producing cells. It is sebum that acts to protect and waterproof the pilus and skin to keep them from becoming dry, brittle, and cracked. The level of secretion increases during adolescence.

Sebaceous glands are normally institute in hair-covered areas of the body where the ducts open into pilus follicles, deposit sebum to the hairs, and bring it to the skin surface along the hair shaft (Effigy 2). In the man ear, this occurs in the outer portion of the ear culvert where ear hairs are present. In other locations of the body without hair, sebum is brought to the peel surface through pores in the skin. In the glands, sebum is produced within specialized cells and is released when these cells burst. Sebum is odorless, but when broken downwards by bacteria, can produce odors.

Figure 2. Illustration of a sebaceous (oil) gland as found in the ear canal, showing its location to a hair follicle where it deposits sebum to the hair, allowing it to be brought to the skin surface along the hair shaft to protect the hair and skin from becoming dry, brittle, and cracked. (From Body Guide) — Figure two. Illustration of a sebaceous (oil) gland as found in the ear canal, showing its location to a hair follicle where information technology deposits sebum to the hair, assuasive it to be brought to the skin surface along the hair shaft to protect the hair and skin from becoming dry, breakable, and cracked. (From Body Guide)

The composition of sebum varies from species to species. Human sebum consists of squalene, esters of glycerol, wax and cholesterol, besides as gratuitous cholesterol and fatty acids (Table I). The fatty acids (lipid content) in humans, consists of about 25% wax monoesters, 41% triglycerides, 16% free fat acids, and 12% squalene. Squalene (an oily substance) is an intermediate preceding cholesterol in its biosynthesis, just for some unexplained reason is halted in its pathway to course cholesterol. The loftier lipid content in sebum provides good lubrication.

Table I

Ceruminous Glands

Ceruminous glands crave a little more than explanation. They are exocrine glands belonging to a category called sudoriferous, or sweat glands, of which there are two types: (a) eccrine (merocrine) and (b) apocrine.

Figure 3. Eccrine sweat glands found in most of the body with the exception of the ear canal. Their secretion (water and sodium chloride) emerges through the skin at surface pores. Eccrine sweat glands respond to heat. These are NOT found in the ear canal, but are identified here to show how their secretions emerge through pores in the skin as opposed to apocrine sweat glands whose secretions exit along the surfaces of hair shafts. — Figure 3. Eccrine sweat glands found in most of the body with the exception of the ear canal. Their secretion (water and sodium chloride) emerges through the skin at surface pores. Eccrine sweat glands respond to heat. These are Non institute in the ear canal, simply are identified here to evidence how their secretions emerge through pores in the pare as opposed to apocrine sweat glands whose secretions exit along the surfaces of hair shafts.

Eccrine Sweat Glands cover most of the trunk except the ear canal. They produce a secretion of h2o and sodium chloride and their function is to produce perspiration and remove small amounts of waste. The ducts of eccrine sweat glands terminate at pores on the surface of the epidermis where it lowers the torso's temperature through evaporative cooling. Eccrine glands are coiled ducts deep in the skin that connect to the surface epithelium (Effigy three). Eccrine glands respond to rut.

Apocrine Sweat Glands (Cerumen Glands) are modified sudoriferous glands. In the ear culvert, they are described as modified apocrine sweat glands and are found simply in the outer ear canal lining. They are larger, deeper, and produce thicker secretions than eccrine glands. This thicker secretion is called cerumen that helps trap foreign particles from entering the ear and lubricates the eardrum. The ducts of apocrine sweat glands extend into the follicles of hairs and then that the sweat produced past these glands exits the body along the surface of the hair shaft. The secretions incorporate pheromones, substances that enable olfactory (sense of odor) communication with other members of the species. They produce a thick, oily liquid that is consumed by bacteria living on the skin. It is the decomposing of secretions by bacteria that produces trunk smell.

Figure 4. Illustration showing the difference between eccrine and apocrine sweat glands. Eccrine sweat glands are smaller, not as deep, and exit their secretions in pores of the skin. Eccrine glands are NOT found in the ear canal. Apocrine sweat glands are found in the outer portion of the ear canal. They are larger, deeper, and exit a thicker secretion along the surface of a hair shaft. — Figure 4. Analogy showing the deviation betwixt eccrine and apocrine sweat glands. Eccrine sweat glands are smaller, non as deep, and exit their secretions in pores of the skin. Eccrine glands are Not found in the ear culvert. Apocrine sweat glands are institute in the outer portion of the ear culvert. They are larger, deeper, and leave a thicker secretion forth the surface of a pilus shaft.

The difference between eccrine and apocrine sweat glands is shown in Effigy 4. The number of cerumen glands range in the thousands and are by and large along the entire circumference of the cartilaginous canal (Perry, 1957). Perry comments as well that cerumen glands may exist fewer in number, perchance leading to dry cerumen found in some individuals. The outer sac of the cerumen gland is composed of smooth muscles, which past their contraction, forcefulness the ejection of its contents. Cerumen is made continuously, and slowly pushes older cerumen outward toward the exterior of the ear canal where it falls out of the ear or is manually removed. Cerumen glands are believed to be stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) during hurting and stress.

As a result of the sebaceous glands' secretions, cerumen's organic composition comprises saturated and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, alcohols, squalene (which accounts for between 12% and twenty% of the wax) and cholesterol, half dozen–9% (Guest et. al, 2004).

Is Cerumen Earwax?

Yep, and no. Cerumen itself has a waxy limerick. However, what nearly people call earwax is generally more than only cerumen. In fact, the contents of less gluey cerumen and viscous sebaceous glands combine on the surface of the outer ear culvert, and are most often joined by shed skin cells (60% keratin), saturated and unsaturated long-chain fat acids (12-20%) alcohols, squalene, cholesterol (6-9%), pilus, dust, and clay to form the substance commonly referred to equally ear wax.

Is Cerumen an Antibacterial?

Cerumen also contains lysozyme, an antibacterial enzyme capable of destroying bacterial cell walls, according to some researchers. Other researchers, withal, are less convinced and claim that it is the perfect medium in which bacteria tin abound.

References

Guest JF, Greener MJ, Robinson Air conditioning, Smith AF (August 2004). "Impacted cerumen: composition, production, epidemiology and management". QJM 97 (8): 477–88.