Biology · Structural Organisation in Animals · NEET
Goblet cells are UNICELLULAR glands. A single cell does the whole job of making and releasing mucus, so no group of cells is needed. This is the textbook example of a unicellular gland. In contrast, salivary glands, gastric glands and the pancreas are multicellular glands (many cells working together).
A goblet cell is a modified COLUMNAR epithelial cell. Some tall columnar cells in the gut and airway lining become specialised for secretion, fill with mucus, and take a goblet (cup) shape. NEET has directly asked this: goblet cells are modified from columnar epithelial cells, not from squamous, cuboidal or compound epithelium, and not from chondrocytes (which are cartilage cells).
They lie scattered in the lining epithelium of the alimentary canal (intestine) and the respiratory tract (bronchi, trachea). The mucus they release keeps these surfaces moist, traps dust and microbes in the airway, and lubricates food in the gut.
They are EXOCRINE. Their product (mucus) is released onto the surface of the epithelium, not into the blood. Endocrine cells pour hormones directly into blood and have no duct or free surface release. Because a goblet cell secretes to a surface, it is an exocrine-type unicellular gland.
Both are exocrine, but a goblet cell is a single cell (unicellular gland) while a salivary gland is a cluster of many cells (multicellular gland). The salivary gland uses a duct to carry saliva; a goblet cell simply releases mucus from its free (apical) surface.
No. A goblet cell releases mucus straight from its open, wide apical end onto the epithelial surface. Ducts are seen in multicellular exocrine glands (salivary, sweat, mammary) that need a tube to carry the secretion out.
Goblet cells of alimentary canal are modified from:
Given below are two statements: Statement I: Goblet cells are unicellular glands. Statement II: Earwax is the secretion of exocrine gland. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer:
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Because one single cell performs the full gland function: it makes mucus and releases it. No group of cells is required, so it is a gland made of just one cell.
Mucus (mucin). This slippery fluid lubricates the gut lining and traps dust and germs in the airway lining.
Yes. When columnar epithelial cells specialise for secretion they form glandular epithelium. Glandular epithelium can be unicellular (goblet cells) or multicellular (salivary glands, etc.).
It looks like a goblet or wine cup: a wide, rounded top swollen with mucus and a narrow base. The stored mucus pushes the nucleus and cytoplasm down to the base, giving the cup shape.
It is a high-frequency single-line fact tested in NEET 2020 and NEET 2023 through direct and assertion-reason questions. Knowing 'columnar origin + unicellular + exocrine' answers most variants.
