Eccrine sweat glands secretion in infancy with electron microscopic study in some cases

ABSTRACT

Fifty neonates and infants were collected from Dermatology, Pediatric and Emergency departments of the Alexandria Main University and Children's Hospitals. They were classified into five groups according to their age. Eccrine sweat glands function was studied using a starch iodine test [Wada's test] for all the cases. Histologic [H and E] and ultrastructural studies were done for some cases representing the studied groups. Starch iodine test [Wada's] was found significantly low in the first age group [less than one week age] compared to all the other older age groups [F=8.5128 and P=<0.01] with linear relationship among all the group in relation to their age. Histological results of studied cases showed primitive and immature eccrine sweat gland acini with non canalized ducts in younger age groups [less than 7 days of age], starting maturation of acini and ducts in slightly older age group [one to 4 weeks age] and fully mature acini and ducts among all the older groups [older than one month age]. Electron microscopic studies showed similar findings with immaturity of cells, nuclei and cell organoids in younger age groups [less than 7 days], starting maturation of cells and early appearance of cell organoids in slightly older age [one to four weeks age], and complete maturation of cell structure, nuclei and full appearance of cell organoids in all the older age groups [one month and more]. Clinical, histological and ultrastructural results of this study can support the suggestion that during new born and early infancy periods, sweat glands are immature and poorly functioning and with progress of age they attain full maturation and complete function