gland
Meaning of gland: A gland is an organ built to produce and release substances such as hormones, sweat, or digestive fluid for use elsewhere in the body.
Definition of gland
A gland is an organ made up of specialized cells whose primary function is producing one or more substances the body uses elsewhere, such as hormones, digestive enzymes, sweat, tears, saliva, or milk. Glands are found throughout the body and vary considerably in size, from microscopic glands scattered within tissue to larger, distinct organs.
Glands are broadly divided into two categories based on how they release what they produce. Endocrine glands, including the thyroid and adrenal glands, release hormones directly into the bloodstream, where they travel to distant target tissues. Exocrine glands, such as sweat and salivary glands, instead release their product through a duct that opens onto the skin or into an internal body cavity.
Because glands regulate so many different bodily functions, disease affecting a particular gland often produces effects specific to whatever substance that gland normally produces, whether that involves hormone levels, digestion, or another regulated process.
Used in a sentence
Imaging was ordered to evaluate the gland for a possible nodule.
Good to know
Endocrine and exocrine glands are distinguished by how they deliver their product, directly into the bloodstream or through a duct, a distinction that determines how disease affecting each type of gland tends to present.