different between holocrine vs merocrine

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ???? (hólos, “whole, entire”) and ?????? (kr??n?, “to separate”).

Adjective

holocrine (not comparable)

1. (anatomy, biology, histology) Of or relating to a mode of secretion in some exocrine glands in which the plasma membrane ruptures, releasing the cell's cytoplasm into the lumen of the gland.
   • 2004, B. G. Kapoor, Bhavna Khanna, Ichthyology Handbook, page 80,

     The venom glands of teleosts consist of an aggregation of holocrine cells derived from the epidermis but often sunken into the dermis, on either side of a spine, usually of dorsal or pectoral fin.

   • 2007, Galina N. Solntseva, N. N. Dergunova (translator), Teresa Ott (linguistic editor), Morphology of the Auditory and Vestibular Organs in Mammals, with Emphasis on Marine Species, page 42,

     In Chiroptera and Insectivora, the holocrine glands can form glandular complexes.

   • 2013, Rowen D. Frandson, W. Lee Wilke, Anna Dee Fails, Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, page 11,

     The holocrine gland is the least common type. After the cell fills with secretory material, the entire holocrine gland cell discharges to the lumen of the gland to constitute the secretion. Sebaceous glands associated with hair follicles of the skin are the most common holocrine glands.

Coordinate terms

• apocrine
• merocrine

English

Etymology

From mero- (“partial”) +? Ancient Greek ?????? (kr??n?, “to separate”).

Adjective

merocrine (not comparable)

1. (anatomy, biology, histology) Of or pertaining to certain exocrine glands that secrete without major damage to the secretory cells.
   • 1982, Vladimir Evgen?evich Sokolov, Mammal Skin, University of California Press, page 20,

     Merocrine cells have several full secretion cycles — the merocrine secretion cell does not die when it secretes into the lumen of the gland.

   • 2011, S. M. Kisia, Vertebrates: Structures and Functions, page 53,

     Secretions from glands are produced by merocrine, apocrine and holocrine modes of secretion (Fig. 3.4). In merocrine secretion, membrane bound secretory vesicles are formed and accumulate below the free surface of the cell. […] There is no loss of cytoplasm in merocrine secretion.

   • 2013, Nancy A. Monteiro-Riviere, 16: Integument, Jo Ann Eurell, Brian L. Frappier (editors), Dellmann's Textbook of Veterinary Histology, 6th Edition, page 338,

     The planum rostrale of pigs has tactile (sinus) hairs distributed over the surface and numerous large merocrine sweat glands.

Synonyms

• (of or pertaining to certain exocrine glands): eccrine (specifically of (certain) sweat glands)

Coordinate terms

• apocrine
• granulocrine
• holocrine

Italian

Adjective

merocrine f

1. feminine plural of merocrino