Individual variations in structure and function of human eccrine sweat gland

1983 ◽  
Vol 245 (2) ◽  
pp. R203-R208 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sato ◽  
F. Sato

The mechanisms underlying variations in perspiration rate at the glandular level are still poorly understood. Human eccrine sweat glands were dissected from the back of 12 adults, cannulated, and stimulated in vitro with methacholine (Mch). The maximal sweat rate and pKA for Mch determined from the dose-response curve for each individual were compared with the anatomic dimensions of the isolated secretory tubules. There was significant correlation between Mch sensitivity (pKA) and the size of the sweat gland, sweat rate per gland, sweat rate per unit length of the secretory tubule, and sweat rate per unit glandular volume. The sweat glands from individuals judged to be poor sweaters exhibited smaller size, lower secretory activity both in vivo and in vitro, and decreased Mch sensitivity compared with glands from physically fit individuals. We conclude that the increased Mch sensitivity and glandular hypertrophy are the two important features of functionally active sweat glands and infer that these parameters could improve as a result of acclimatization to physical exercise and/or heat.

1987 ◽  
Vol 252 (1) ◽  
pp. R181-R187 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sato ◽  
F. Sato

Functional characteristics of isolated single human axillary apoeccrine sweat glands have been studied using in vitro sweat induction methods. Sustained copious clear fluid secretion was evoked by methacholine (MCh), epinephrine (EP), isoproterenol (ISO), and phenylephrine (PL) in decreasing order in a pharmacologically specific manner. Apoeccrine glands showed a higher cholinergic sensitivity than eccrine sweat glands, as shown by the apparent association constant for MCh of 2.7 X 10(-7) M compared with 2.1 X 10(-6) M for the axillary eccrine sweat gland. The average total sweat rate of the apoeccrine gland for a 30-min period was sevenfold higher than that of the eccrine sweat gland. In contrast, isolated apocrine glands showed intermittent pulsatile turbid sweat secretion in response to MCh or EP. The Na+ and K+ concentration of apoeccrine glands was nearly isotonic, whereas those of apocrine sweat was 120-140 mM for Na+ and 10-20 mM for K+. Apoeccrine ductal Na+ absorption was also observed in the apoeccrine glands and was no more efficient than that of the axillary eccrine sweat gland. Thus apoeccrine sweat glands are functionally and pharmacologically distinct from axillary apocrine glands and significantly contribute to overall axillary sweating in humans.


1988 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 811-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Buono ◽  
N. T. Sjoholm

The purpose of this study was to determine the in vivo secretory activity of sweat glands from sedentary and trained subjects. Peripheral sweat production was determined using pilocarpine iontophoresis in 40 volunteers (10 sedentary men, 10 endurance-trained men, 10 sedentary women, 10 endurance-trained women). Peripheral sweat rate was significantly (P less than 0.05) greater in trained men [6.9 +/- 0.6 (SE) g.m2.min-1] and women (6.1 +/- 0.7) compared with sedentary men (3.1 +/- 0.5) and women (2.5 +/- 0.4). Furthermore, peripheral sweat rate was significantly correlated (r = 0.73) with maximal O2 uptake. The above two findings would suggest that physical training improves the secretory activity of the human sweat gland. Such a result supports previous findings that have suggested that the potentiation in sweating seen after training is achieved via a peripheral mechanism. In addition, several gender-related differences were found in the sudorific response of men and women. Specifically, women have a significantly greater sweat gland density, whereas men have a greater sweat production per gland.


1991 ◽  
Vol 260 (2) ◽  
pp. R314-R320 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Yokozeki ◽  
T. Hibino ◽  
T. Takemura ◽  
K. Sato

Although cysteine proteinases have been reported to be present in human eccrine sweat, their endogenous inhibitors, cysteine proteinase inhibitors (CPIs), have remained unstudied. We now present evidence that CPIs are indeed a true ingredient of human eccrine sweat. Sweat induced in sauna was collected over a Vaseline barrier placed on the skin to minimize epidermal contamination. The absence of major epidermal contamination of the sweat was further ensured by monitoring an epidermal marker, high-molecular-mass aminopeptidase. Sweat CPI was purified sequentially by chromatography with Sephacryl S-200, carboxymethylated papain-Sepharose, and anion-exchange Mono Q fast-protein liquid chromatography columns. Sweat CPI has a molecular mass of approximately 15 kDa, is stable for temperature (up to 80 degrees C) and pH (from 3 to 10), and inhibits papain, ficin, and sweat cathepsin B- and H-like enzymes. Sweat CPI may be of sweat gland origin because 1) the rate of CPI output in sweat (CPI concentration x sweat rate) is constant over 45 min; 2) antibody against epidermal CPI, which cross-reacts with sweat CPI, localized immunoreactivity in the sweat duct; 3) CPI activity was present in the glandular extracts of control and methacholine-stimulated (for 1 h in vitro) human sweat glands; and 4) the peaks of CPI activity in the glandular extract and sweat CPI were both eluted (by high-pressure liquid chromatography) at around 15 kDa. Sweat CPI may be very similar to epidermal CPI (which belongs to the stefin family of CPIs) because of many shared characteristics. The identity and function of sweat CPI remain to be studied.


1981 ◽  
Vol 240 (1) ◽  
pp. R44-R51 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sato ◽  
F. Sato

Pharmacologic responsiveness of the eccrine sweat gland has never been studied under well-defined in vitro experimental conditions. Using isolated cannulated single monkey palm eccrine sweat glands, the dose response to both cholinergic and alpha- and beta-adrenergic agents and the effects of various antagonists on agonists were studied. The maximal sweat rate was highest after stimulation with cholinergic agonists, was lower with the beta-adrenergic agonist, and was least with the alpha-adrenergic agonist. Each secretory response was inhibited by its specific antagonist. Attempts to demonstrate the spare receptor, if any, by means of preincubation of the glands with N-(2-chlorethyl)dibenzylamine (Dibenamine) were unsuccessful. From the hyperbolic dose-response curves the values for KA and KB, dissociation constants for agonists and antagonists, respectively, were thus tentatively estimated according to Clark's classical receptor theory. Schild plots for each agonist-antagonist interaction produced straight lines with slopes of near unity, indicating the adequacy of the methodology. It was concluded that the isolated eccrine sweat glands retain their pharmacologic viability in vitro and show responsiveness to cholinergic as well as both alpha- and beta-adrenergic stimulations.


1994 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sato ◽  
S. Cavallin ◽  
K. T. Sato ◽  
F. Sato

1. Some of the basic functional features of the mouse paw eccrine sweat gland were delineated to allow comparison with those of transgenic mice in the future. 2. The mouse sweat secretory coil responds to methacholine, elaborating a K+-rich (> 120 mmol/l), Na+-poor (< 70 mmol/l) primary fluid as does the rat paw sweat gland, as previously reported. The methacholine-induced sweat rate increases with age in parallel with the growth of the sweat gland over the first 6 weeks of life. 3. The sweating response to cyclic AMP-elevating agents, such as isoprenaline or forskolin, is as much as 40% of the methacholine-induced sweat rate at 1 week of age, but falls to 10% by 6 weeks of age despite the fact that the agonist-induced tissue accumulation of cyclic AMP expressed on a per μg of protein basis triples with age over the same period. 4. A marked K+ outflux was also noted in response to methacholine and a small K+ outflux was seen in response to cyclic AMP-elevating agonists in super-fused adult mouse secretory coils in vitro. 5. Since sweat secretion is usually associated with activation of either K+ channels or Cl− channels or both, and since the sweating occurred in response to cyclic AMP-elevating agonists, we speculate that the cyclic AMP-activated Cl− channels (the mouse version of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) may also occur in the mouse sweat gland, but that the degree of their expression may be influenced by the age of the mice.


1988 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 1082-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. L. Kenney ◽  
S. R. Fowler

The purpose of this investigation was to examine eccrine sweat gland responsiveness to intradermal injections of methylcholine (MCh) across three age groups of men [young (Y) = 22-24; middle (M) = 33-40; older (O) = 58-67 yr old, n = 5 per group]. Subjects were matched with respect to maximum O2 consumption, body size, and body composition, and were thoroughly heat acclimated before participation. Randomly ordered concentrations of acetyl-beta-methylcholine chloride ranging from 0% (saline) to 0.1% (5 x 10(-3) M) were injected into the skin of the dorsal thigh in a thermoneutral environment, and activated sweat glands were photographed at 30-s intervals for the next 8 min. Density of MCh-activated glands was independent of both age and [MCh] (e.g., 2 min after injection of 5 x 10(-3) M [MCh]: Y = 45 +/- 7, M = 46 +/- 12, O = 42 +/- 5 glands/cm2). However, sweat gland output (SGO) per active gland was significantly lower for the O group and failed to increase with increasing [MCh] above 5 x 10(-4) M. When MCh (5 x 10(-3) M) was injected after 1 h of exercise in the heat, higher SGO's were elicited in each group; however, the SGO of the O group was again significantly lower than that of the Y group (91 +/- 11 vs. 39 +/- 4 ng/gland, P less than 0.02) with the M group intermediate (69 +/- 11 nl/gland; 2 min postinjection data).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


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