In the image below, the glands indicated with an asterisks secrete sebum into the hair follicle. What is the name of these glands?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Sebaceous glands are holocrine exocrine glands that produce lipid-rich sebum and empty directly into hair follicles, so the correct answer is Sebaceous glands.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Sebaceous glands: lobulated, pale-staining clusters of cells in the dermis that open into hair follicles; produce sebum by holocrine secretion (whole-cell disintegration), giving vacuolated/foamy cytoplasm on H&E.  
- Eccrine (merocrine) sweat glands: coiled tubular glands that secrete watery sweat to the skin surface by merocrine secretion; smaller lumens and duct segments.  
- Apocrine sweat glands: larger coiled tubular glands (axilla/groin), sometimes open into follicles but show columnar cells and decapitation secretion; limited distribution.  
- Endocrine glands: ductless, release hormones into blood — not found as follicle-associated dermal lobules.

2) Step‑by‑step reasoning
- The image shows a hair follicle with adjacent lobulated, rounded clusters of pale cells (asterisks) directly abutting and draining into the follicle lumen.  
- The cells appear vacuolated/foamy (lipid-rich) rather than tall columnar or simple tubular epithelium.  
- The anatomical relationship—gland lobules opening into the hair follicle—is classic for sebaceous glands.

3) Calculations
- None required for this histology identification.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- Sebaceous glands characteristically secrete sebum into hair follicles and have the lobulated, foamy histologic appearance seen. Their holocrine mode explains the lipid‑filled cytoplasm and proximity to the follicle ostium.

5) Why the other options are incorrect
- Apocrine sweat glands: different histologic appearance (larger, secretory tubules with columnar cells) and fewer in number; not the typical clustered foamy lobules shown.  
- Merocrine glands / Eccrine sweat glands: these are coiled tubular glands that secrete to the skin surface (not into follicles) and lack the foamy lobulated morphology.  
- Endocrine glands: ductless and systemic; do not form follicle‑associated lobules that empty into hair shafts.

6) Conclusion
The histology and anatomical relationship to the hair follicle identify these structures as sebaceous glands, confirming the provided answer: Sebaceous glands.

In the image below, the glands indicated with an asterisks secrete sebum into the hair follicle. What is the name of these glands? Single choice

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