Utah Esthetician State Board Practice Exam

Which type of gland is primarily involved in thermoregulation?

1. Sweat glands

2. Endocrine glands

3. Salivary glands

4. Exocrine glands

The correct answer is: Sweat glands

The type of gland primarily involved in thermoregulation is sweat glands. These glands produce sweat, which is released onto the surface of the skin. When the body temperature rises, for example during exercise or in response to heat, the nervous system signals the sweat glands to increase sweat production. As the sweat evaporates from the skin, it cools the body down, effectively regulating temperature. The other glands mentioned have different primary functions. Endocrine glands are responsible for releasing hormones into the bloodstream to regulate various bodily functions, but they do not play a direct role in temperature control. Salivary glands are involved in the secretion of saliva to aid in digestion, not in thermoregulation. Exocrine glands, while they do include sweat glands, encompass a broader category that includes various glands that secrete substances through ducts to the outside of the body, each serving different functions unrelated to temperature regulation specifically.