Alveolar gland

Alveolar gland
Alveolar gland
	Section of pancreas of dog. X 250.
Identifiers
TH	H2.00.02.0.03028
	Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Alveolar glands, also called saccular glands, are glands with a saclike secretory portion, in contrast with tubular glands. They typically have an enlarged lumen (cavity), hence the name: they have a shape similar to alveoli, the very small air sacs in the lungs.

Some sources draw a clear distinction between acinar and alveolar glands, based upon the size of the lumen.^[1] A further complication in the case of the alveolar glands may occur in the form of still smaller saccular diverticuli growing out from the main sacculi.

The term "racemose gland"^[2] is used to describe a "compound alveolar gland" or "compound acinar gland."^[3]

Branched alveolar glands are classified as follows:

	Type	Description	Location
	simple branched acinar		thyroid glands
	tubuloalveolar or tubulo-alveolar or tubulo-acinar or compound tubulo-acinar or compound tubuloalveolar^[4]	glands that start out as simple branched tubular, and branch further to terminate in alveoli	salivary glands,^[5] esophagus^[6] mammary glands

Additional images

Alveoli of lacrimal gland.
Human submaxillary gland. At the right is a group of mucous alveoli, at the left a group of serous alveoli.
Section of portion of breast tissue.