SKIN (INTEGUMENT) II

Dr. M. ELTAYEB

Reticular layer of the dermis

The reticular layer consists of dense irregular connective tissue with thick bundles of type I collagen fibers and thick elastic fibers. There is no boundary between the papillary and reticular layers.

Reticular layer of the dermis

The reticular layer contains:Hair follicles and hair root Smooth muscle (arrector pili) Sweat glands Sebaceous glands. Sensory nerve endings :-encapsulated mechanoreceptors (Pacinian corpuscles)

Hair follicles and hair

Hair follicles are tubular invaginations of the epidermis into the reticular layer of the dermis. Each follicle contains a hair arising by cell division from the deep end of the hair follicle called hair bulb which also has melanocytes.

CT of the dermis projects into the hair bulb forming the hair papilla which contains blood capillaries and sensory nerve endings.
The cells forming the hair root are called matrix which forms an inner medulla, a middle thick cortex and an outer thin layer of keratin called cuticle synthesized by the cortical cells.

Arrector pili
Smooth muscle attached to the connective tissue sheath surrounding the hair follicle. It extends obliquely to insert into the papillary layer of the dermis.

Sweat glands
Sweat is produced by two types of sweat glands:1. Eccrine sweat glands:- simple coiled tubular glands located deep in the dermis or in the underlying hypodermis. The secretory unit of the sweat gland consists of light cells which secrete water and electrolytes, and dark cells containing secretory granules which secrete mucous. The ducts of these glands are lined by stratified cuboidal epithelium consisting of two layers. The ducts pass spirally through the epidermis to open into the surface of the skin.

Sweat glands
The cells of eccrine sweat glands release their secretion into the lumen by exocytosis which is called merocrine method of secretion. There are about 3 to 4 million eccrine sweat glands distributed in skin almost all over the body. Between the secretory cells and the basal lamina are contractile myoepithelial cells with cytoplasmic processes surrounding the whole secretory unit. Contraction of these cells presses the secretory unit and moves the secretion into the duct

Sweat glands
2. Apocrine sweat glands are located only in the axilla, the areola of the nipple, and the anal region. They are affected by sex hormones and are inactive before puberty. They have a larger lumen than eccrine sweat glands. They are found in the deeper portions of the dermis and hypodermis The ducts of apocrine sweat glands open into the hair follicles Although they are called apocrine,they secrete by merocrine method

Sebaceous Glands
Sebaceous glands are branched acinar glands found in the dermis and hypodermis. They are most abundant in the skin of the face and the scalp. The gland cells are pale-staining and contain abundant SER and lipid droplets.

Like apocrine sweat glands sebaceous glands are affected by sex hormones and they are inactive before puberty.

Sebaceous Glands
The lumen of the acinus is full of dead cells with lipid droplets containing the oily substance called sebum which is released in the lumen of the gland when the cells die (holocrine secretion). The dead cells are replaced by division of the basal cells.
The duct is lined by stratified squamous epithelium and opens into the hair follicle. The oil protects the hair and the skin surface.

Types of skin
There are two types of skin:1. Thin skin: Covers the whole body except
the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.

The epidermis has a thin stratum corneum (keratin) on the surface and there is no definite stratum lucidum. Stratum granulosum has few cells and is not well developed.
Thin skin contains hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands and arrector pili muscle

Thick skin

The epidermis has a very thick stratum corneum (keratin) on the surface. There are no hair follicles, sebaceous glands or arrector pili muscle.

2. Thick skin: Covers the palms and soles.

Thick skin
The epidermal ridges and dermal papillae are well developed in the thick skin of the palms and soles.
Dermatoglyphs (fingerprints) on the skin surface correspond to the arrangement of the epidermal ridges

Hypodermis (subcutaneous CT)

The hypodermis is a loose connective tissue found under the skin (subcutaneous CT). It is the superficial fascia deep to the skin. It is not part of the skin. The hypodermis contains adipose tissue. Excessive subcutaneous fat is called panniculus adiposus.

Functions of the skin

1. Protection against injury, bacterial infection and drying due to covering with stratified squamous keratinized epithelium 2. Regulation of body temperature: due to extensive network of blood vessels and sweat glands 3. Reception of stimuli for touch, temperature, pressure and pain: due to the sensory nerve endings. 4. Excretion from sweat glands 5. Synthesis of vitamin D: using ultraviolet energy from the sun light