Morphological evidence for the innervation of apocrine sweat glands in the general hairy skin of the goat.

A histomorphological and histochemical study was made on the nerve supply to the apocrine sweat glands in the general hairy skin of the goat. In harmony with the previous report that the sweat glands in the goat are functionally under the control of sympathetic nervous system, the present study clearly demonstrates cholinesterase-reactive nerve fibers that closely surround the secretory portion of these glands in most of the hairy skin area, though the nerve network is fairly coarse. Analysis with cholinesterase inhibitors indicated that the sudomotor nerves in the goat contain both specific and non-specific cholinesterase.