An exocrine, or ducted, gland secretes a substance outside the body or into the digestive tract (technically outside the body), as opposed to the endocrine glands, which secrete substances into the bloodstream.

Exocrine glands include:

  • the pancreas
  • the salivary glands
  • the prostate gland
  • the mammary glands
  • tear glands
  • the liver
  • These are just the most obvious, and there are many more. The substances they secrete perform many different functions, from cooling the body (sweat) to digesting food (pancreatic juice).