The SKIN

STRUCTURE & FUNCTION

General Info..

Skin has 3 layers

Epidermis - outer layer
Dermis inner layer
Hypodermis sup. Fascia
or fat

Sweat glands excrete

sweat through pores.
Bodys first line of
defense!
Largest organ of the body.

The Birthday Suit

Combination of 4 main tissues:
Epithelial outer layer
Connective underlies dermis
Smooth Muscle goose bumps
Nervous sensory receptors

Epidermis
and
Dermis
EPIDERMIS
DERMIS
Epidermis is avascular (no blood
vessels) & arises from ECTODERM
Embryonic
Dermis is highly vascular (has blood
origin
vessels) & arises from MESODERM
Epidermis receives nourishment
Type
of dermis
from
Tissue
Cells far away from nourishment die

Epidermis
Outer tough layer of dead
skin cells called cuticle .
Layer you see everyday.
Under the cuticle is another
layer of living epithelial cells
that make up the rest of the
epidermis.

Epidermis

What about
stratum
lucidum???

Dermis
Thick layer under the epidermis
Contains
blood vessels
Nerves
Oil glands
Sweat glands
Hair follicles
Fat tissue
Connective tissue

Two layers
Papillary layer (upper dermal region)
Projections called dermal papillae
Contain capillary loops containing blood
Pain receptors and touch receptors
Reticular layer (deepest skin layer)
Blood vessels
Sweat and oil glands
Pressure receptors


FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE..
In the thick skin on the palms and soles,
the epidermis conforms to the shape of
the underlying dermal papillae, forming
ridges and valleys that we know as
fingerprints.
These ridges provide traction that helps
people grasp objects and surfaces

 Some dermal papillae (mostly THICK

SKIN) contain touch receptors called
Meissners corpuscles, and many contain
loops of tiny blood vessels.
Which plays an important role in the
regulation of body temperature.

What causes Normal Skin

Color???
Melanin
Yellow, brown, or black pigments

Carotene
Orange-yellow pigment from some vegetables

Hemoglobin
Red coloring from blood cells in dermal
capillaries
FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Oxygen content determines the extent of red
All racescoloring
have the same number of MELANOCYTES, but
the amount of melanin produced determines whether the
colour of the individual will be BLACK, BROWN or white

Types of SKIN
No.

Structure

Thin skin

Thick skin

1.

Epidermis : stratum
lucidum & epidermal
ridges

Absent

Present

2.

Hair follicles

Present

Absent

3.

Sebaceous glands

Present

Absent

4.

Sweat glands

Few

More

5.

Sensory nerve ending

Few

More

What Else Comes from the

Epidermis?
I think so SKIN APPENDAGES

Hair
Glands
Nails

Hair

Glands

Nail

FUNCTIONS of SKIN
1. Protective

Mechanical
Chemical
Biological
Radiational

2. Sensations
3. Maintaining Balance

Electrolytes balance
Thermal balance

4. Metabolic

Fat
Vit - D

5. Esthetic
6. Absorptive
7. Excretion

Sweating

8. Storage

Fat, water,
sugar

Cl-

&

BLOOD SUPPLY of SKIN

NERVE SUPPLY

Use the following vocabulary to label

the diagram:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

hair
oil gland
fat cells,
erector pili muscle,
blood vessels,
nerve endings,
epidermis,
dermis,
Dead cells,
Live cells,
hair root,
sweat gland,
connective tissue