Question

Mammary glands of mammals are modification of
a. Sebaceous gland
b. Mucous gland
c. Sweat gland
d. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Mammary glands are the organs that produce milk in females. These are the exocrine glands and are the characteristic of mammals. The most basic components of the mammary gland are the alveoli (hollow cavities) which are lined with milk-secreting cuboidal cells and surrounded by myoepithelial cells.

Complete answer:
- A mammary gland is an exocrine gland found in humans and also other mammals.
- There are two mammary glands or milk-producing glands found in mammals. These glands are the modification of the sweat gland.
- Sweat glands are the glands that produce sweat
- The modified sweat glands are mammary glands, which produce milk.
- Sebaceous glands are the glands that produce sebum into the hair follicle.
- Mucous glands are the glands that produce mucus.

Hence, Mammary glands of mammals are a modification of the Sweat gland.
So, the correct answer is option (C).

Additional information:
The alveoli are the main component of a mature mammary gland, Alveoli join up to form groups known as lobules, and each lobule has a lactiferous duct that drains into openings in the nipple.

The myoepithelial cells present in the glands can contract and thereby push the milk from the alveoli through the lactiferous ducts toward the nipple, where it is collected in the widenings (sinuses) of the ducts.

The clump of cells, from the embryonic stage, further proliferate from a longitudinal ridge of ectoderm (the outermost of the three germ layers of the embryo) along the milk line, from the buds, or beginnings, of the lower limbs to those of the upper limbs.

Note: The apocrine and the eccrine are two types of sweat glands. The modification in the apocrine glands includes the mammary glands, ciliary glands, and the ceruminous glands.
Mammary glands first appear in embryonic life as clumps of cells. The development of mammary glands into breasts is dependent on estrogen, prolactin, and growth hormone.