Holocrine (fromAncient Greek ὅλος;hólos, “whole, entire” + κρῑ́νω;krī́nō, “to separate”) is a term used to classify the mode of secretion inexocrine glands in the study ofhistology. Holocrine secretions are produced in thecytoplasm of the cell and released by the rupture of theplasma membrane, which destroys the cell and results in the secretion of the product into thelumen.[1]
Holocrine gland secretion is the most damaging (to the cell itself and not to the host which begot the cell) type of secretion, withmerocrine secretion being the least damaging andapocrine secretion falling in between.
Examples of holocrine glands include thesebaceous glands of the skin[2][3] and themeibomian glands of theeyelid. The sebaceous gland is an example of a holocrine gland because its product of secretion (sebum) is released with remnants of dead cells.[4][5]
^Sundberg, John P.; Booth, Carmen J.; Nanney, Lillian B.; Fleckman, Philip; King, Lloyd E. (2018-01-01), Treuting, Piper M.; Dintzis, Suzanne M.; Montine, Kathleen S. (eds.),"24 - Skin and Adnexa",Comparative Anatomy and Histology (Second Edition), San Diego: Academic Press, pp. 511–542,doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-802900-8.00024-5,ISBN978-0-12-802900-8, retrieved2020-10-22
^Victor Eroschenko,diFiore's Atlas of Histology with functional correlations, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 10th edition, 2005. p. 41
