盐腺

关于植物的排盐器官，请见“排水器”。

盐腺是板鳃亚纲、海鸟和一些爬行动物用来排出盐分的器官。其中鲨鱼的盐腺位于直肠，鸟类和爬行动物则位于头部的眼睛、鼻子或嘴附近。其发达程度在不同物种身上不尽相同^[1]。盐腺的存在使得更有效的渗透调节成为可能，因此这些动物才可以直接饮用海水^[2]。鸟与龟身上存在盐腺也从另外一个方面说明了它们的肾功能不如哺乳动物完善，毕竟在海生哺乳类动物身上并不存在盐腺^[3]。而它们皮肤渗透性不如两栖动物这一点也使得其体内盐分无法通过皮肤排出^[4]。

海龟通过盐腺排出多余的盐分，看起来就像流泪一般

参考文献

1. Ellis, Richard A.; GOERTEMILLER, CLARENCE C.; STETSON, DAVID L. Significance of extensive /'leaky/' cell junctions in the avian salt gland. Nature. 1982, 268 (5620): 555–556. Bibcode:1977Natur.268..555E. PMID 887174. doi:10.1038/268555a0.
2. O’Driscoll, K.J.; Staniels, L.K.; Facey, D.E. Osmoregulation and Excretion. [2007-07-06]. （原始内容存档于2014-02-05）.
3. Plants Poisonous to Livestock - Cornell University Department of Animal Science. Ansci.cornell.edu. [2011-07-14]. （原始内容存档于2014-06-17）.
4. Hazard, Lisa C. Sodium and Potassium Secretion by Iguana Salt Glands. Iguanas: Biology and Conservation (University of California Press). 2004: 84–85. ISBN 978-0-520-23854-1.

扩展阅读

• Evans, D. H. 1993. Osmotic and Ionic Regulation. p. 315-336. In Evans, D. H. 1993. The Physiology of Fishes. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
• Goldenstein, D. L. 2002. Water and Salt Balance in Seabirds. p. 467-480. In Schreiber, E. A. and J. Burger. (eds.) 2002. Biology of Marine Birds. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
• Schmidt-Nielsen, K. 1959. Salt Glands. p. 221-226. In Wessells, N. K. (comp.) 1974. Vertebrate Structures and Functions. W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, CA.
• Wǖrsig, B. G., T. A. Jefferson and D. J. Schmidly. 2000. The Marine Mammals of the Gulf of Mexico. Texas A&M Press, College Station, TX.