But these five take the cake.
All glands are weird.
Glands
Curious
1
2
3
4
5
THE FAR SIDE:
Sometimes called the“seat of the soul” or the “third eye.”
6 of 6
PINEAL GLAND
WHY IT'S WEIRD:
Can distinguish night from day. Gets clogged with bits of calcium called “brain sand.”
5 of 6
PINEAL GLAND
4 of 6
WHAT IT MIGHT DO:
Trigger puberty, as well as jet lag.
What it might do:
Trigger puberty and jet lag
PINEAL GLAND
3 of 6
WHAT IT DOES:
Squirts melatonin and regulates the sleep cycle.
What it does:
Squirts melatonin, regulates the sleep cycle.
PINEAL GLAND
SIZE:
About as large as a grain of rice.
2 of 6
PINEAL GLAND
1 of 6
WHERE IT IS:
In the middle of the brain, just behind the eyes.
PINEAL GLAND
PINEAL
DISORDER:
Dry eye syndrome is often caused
by their malfunction.
MEIBOMIAN GLANDS
5 of 6
MEIBOMIAN GLANDS (exocrine)
4 of 5
WHY THEY’RE WEIRD:
Among at least 5 different types of glands serving
the eye and its
moisture needs.
Their secretions
are complex, containing lipids
and 90 proteins.
MEIBOMIAN GLANDS
SIZE:
Barely visible.
MEIBOMIAN GLANDS
3 of 5
WHAT THEY DO:
Secrete an oily substance that keeps tears from spilling onto cheeks or evaporating off the eye.
MEIBOMIAN GLANDS
2 of 5
WHERE THEY ARE:
About 70 locations on the upper and lower eyelids.
MEIBOMIAN GLANDS
1 of 5
MEIBOMIAN
HOT STUFF:
Helps regulate
sex drive.
5 of 5
PITUITARY GLAND
WHY IT'S WEIRD:
Works with almond-sized hypothalamus to squirt both “stress” hormone (cortisol) and “love” hormone (oxytocin).
4 of 5
PITUITARY GLAND
SIZE:
Pea.
3 of 5
PITUITARY GLAND
WHAT IT DOES:
Controls growth, puberty,
stress and
other glands.
2 of 5
PITUITARY GLAND
WHERE IT IS:
Behind the bridge of the nose.
1 of 5
PITUITARY GLAND
PITUITARY
ALSO:
Men have them, too.
5 of 5
MONGOMERY GLANDS
WHY THEY’RE WEIRD:
May produce scent that guides baby to breast.
4 of 5
MONGOMERY GLANDS
NUMBER:
From four to 28 per nipple.
3 of 5
MONGOMERY GLANDS
WHAT THEY DO:
Lubricate and protect tissue.
2 of 5
MONGOMERY GLANDS
WHAT THEY ARE:
Those little bumps around the nipples.
1 of 5
MONGOMERY GLANDS
MONTGOMERY’S
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT:
Nothing.
5 of 5
ABDOMINAL FAT
WHY IT'S WEIRD:
Promotes overeating by affecting appetite suppressor signal. Associated with lower testosterone in men.
4 of 5
ABDOMINAL FAT
SIZE:
Limited
only by the elasticity
of the
abdominal wall.
3 of 5
ABDOMINAL FAT
WHAT IT DOES:
All body fat releases proteins needed for metabolism.
Abdominal fat squirts an unbalanced assortment of substances linked to diabetes, heart disease, dementia, asthma and breast cancer.
2 of 5
ABDOMINAL FAT
WHERE IT IS
Behind the abdominal muscles, packed around the liver, intestines and other organs.
1 of 5
ABDOMINAL FAT
ABDOMINAL FAT
©2017 Cleveland Clinic
Glands are organs of secretion. They squirt hormones or other liquids. They can be large (mammary glands) or small (sweat glands). In some sense, they rule the body.
Glands come in two varieties: Endocrine (squirt into the body) and exocrine (squirt outside the body).
