kirtelgrupper

Kirtelgrupper, or gland groups, refer to clusters eller organs composed of glandular tissue that produce and secrete substances. Glands can være exocrine, releasing secretions through ducts to surfaces such as skin or mucous membranes, or endocrine, releasing hormones directly into the bloodstream. In many organs, glandular tissue is organized into functional units and arranged into larger structures like lobes, lobules, acini, or follicles.

Gland groups are structurally diverse. Exocrine glands often show ducts and acinar or tubular units, enabling secretion of enzymes, mucus, oil, or sweat. Endocrine glands lack ducts and secrete hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, or homeostasis. Examples of gland groups include the salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, sublingual) organized into lobes and lobules; the pancreas with exocrine acini and endocrine islets; the thyroid and adrenal glands with distinct histological architectures; and skin, with sebaceous and sweat glands as additional glandular components. The mammary and lacrimal glands are other clinically relevant gland groups.

Developmentally, glands arise from epithelial tissues and often undergo branching morphogenesis to form duct systems and secretory units. Their function depends on innervation and hormonal signals, and they may respond to physiological demands such as digestion, hydration, or reproduction.

Clinical relevance encompasses inflammatory, autoimmune, and neoplastic conditions affecting gland groups, such as sialadenitis in salivary glands, thyroiditis, goiter, hyperplasia, adenomas, or adenocarcinomas. Diagnosis relies on imaging, laboratory testing, and histology.

See also: gland, endocrine system, exocrine system, histology.