Final answer:
Eccrine sweat glands, also known as merocrine glands, secrete a dilute salt solution to aid in thermoregulation by producing sweat that helps to cool the body when it becomes warm.
Step-by-step explanation:
Also known as merocrine, eccrine sweat glands are numerous and secrete a dilute salt solution for thermoregulation. These sweat glands are exocrine glands located in the dermis of the skin and are responsible for producing a salty fluid known as sweat, which is secreted into ducts and then to the skin surface. The eccrine glands play a crucial role in maintaining the body's temperature by releasing a hypotonic sweat, composed mostly of water, some salt, antibodies, traces of metabolic waste, and dermicidin, an antimicrobial peptide.
Eccrine sweat glands are distributed all over the body's skin surface but are more concentrated on the palms, soles of the feet, and forehead. Their role in thermoregulation and homeostasis is a primary component for human survival, especially in regulating body temperature under varying environmental conditions.