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Glite Dictionary
🧪 Releasing outside 🧪 A duct gland
exocrine

exocrine

9.3
A gland that sends its liquid out through a tube onto a surface not into the blood
  • noun
  • /ˈɛksəˌkraɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : glándula exocrina
  • Sweat glands are an example of an exocrine in the human body.
  • exocrine insufficiency
  • exocrine and endocrine

Examples

  • Damage to an exocrine can affect the secretion of essential fluids.

  • The pancreas acts as an exocrine, producing digestive enzymes released into the intestine.

  • The exocrine glands secrete enzymes into the digestive tract.

  • Salivary glands are an example of exocrine glands.

  • The pancreas is an important exocrine gland responsible for producing digestive enzymes.

  • During digestion, the exocrine glands release enzymes that help break down food in the intestine.

  • Salivary glands are a type of exocrine gland that secrete saliva into the mouth.

Synonyms

exocrine gland
vsexocrine
  • Specialized
5.8

A body part that makes and sends liquids through a tube to the body's surface or inside it

sends secretions through a duct only to the outside not into the bloodstream
duct gland
vsexocrine
  • Specialized
5.6

A body part that makes liquid like sweat or saliva and sends it through a tube to a surface

releases secretions through a duct only to the outside rather than to internal surfaces

Antonyms

endocrine
  • Specialized
8 6.7

Relating to glands that release hormones into the blood

Compounds

exocrine gland
  • Specialized
5.8

A body part that makes and sends liquids through a tube to the body's surface or inside it

Surface Forms

exocrine singular
exocrines plural

Morphology

exocrine = crine (opaque) = exo + crine

The word contains the scientific prefix exo- meaning 'outside' plus the bound combining form crine meaning 'secreting', but the term is specialized and not easily interpretable for most learners.

Etymology

Exocrine comes from the parts exo- 'outside' and -crine 'to send out', and it shares the same root as the English word secrete. So an exocrine (a gland) is a body part that sends its secretions 'outside' or into a tube, for example sweat glands or the part of the pancreas that pours enzymes into the intestine.