Gland

How it is used

Common examples are the thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, salivary and sweat glands. Glands secrete substances, and the adjective is glandular. Patients often say 'swollen glands' about lumps in the neck, but these are usually lymph nodes.

Example sentences

1. The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys.

2. Sweat glands help to cool the body.

Common collocations

• endocrine gland
• exocrine gland
• salivary gland
• sweat gland
• pituitary gland

Related terms

• hormoneA chemical messenger made by a gland and carried in the blood to target organs, where it changes how they work. Insulin, cortisol and thyroxine are examples.
• thyroid glandA butterfly-shaped endocrine gland at the front of the neck, below the larynx. It makes the thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), which control metabolic rate, and the hormone calcitonin.
• pancreasA gland behind the stomach with two jobs: it makes digestive enzymes that flow into the duodenum, and its islet cells release hormones such as insulin and glucagon into the blood.
• epitheliumTissue made of tightly packed cells that covers the body's surfaces and lines its cavities, tubes and glands, such as the outer layer of the skin and the lining of the gut.
• lymph nodeA small, bean-shaped organ of the lymphatic system that filters lymph and contains immune cells. Groups of lymph nodes lie in the neck, armpits, groin, chest and abdomen.

More terms: Nervous and Endocrine Systems

• nervous system
• brain
• spinal cord
• nerve
• neuron
• synapse
• action potential
• reflex
• cerebellum