Eccrine sweat glands of rat fingertips. Scanning electron microscope observations after enzymatic digestion of dermal connective tissue.

By removing epidermis with EDTA and a subsequent enzymatic digestion of dermis, eccrine sweat glands of rat fingertips were exposed and examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Different protocols were tested to remove as much connective tissue as possible, while minimizing damage to other structures, and to expose the epithelial surface of secretory tubules in order to display vascular and nervous networks. SEM observations gave detailed information on the relationship between epithelial secretory cells and myoepithelial cells, as well as on the vascular and nervous networks which surround the glomeruli of glands.