HISTOLOGY 1 ST SCT

PART2
Yuliya Konotoptseva
Skin
Skin
• The skin covers entire surface of the body and it is the largest organ of the
body in terms of its weight and volume.
• Accessory structures are hair, nails and 3 types of glands: Sebaceous,
eccrine sweat and apocrine
• Functions of the skin:
• Protection, prevention of dehydration, regulation of body temperature,
production of vitamin D, somatosensory function and immunological
function
 Excretion
Functions : (sweat glands)
Barrier

Endocrine Provides
(secretes immunological
hormones, information
cytokines, obtained
growth during antigen
hormones) processing

Sensory
information
Homeostasis
about external
environment
■ Integumentary system, largest organ in the body (15-20% of
total mass)
■ Consists of 3 layers:
■ 1) Epidermis : keratinized squamous epithelium, grows
continuesly but maintains its thickness through
desquamation. Derived from ectoderm
■ 2) Dermis : composed of dense CT that imparts mechanical
support, strength, etc. Derived from mesoderm
■ 3) Hypodermis : contains variable amounts of adipose tissue
arranged into lobules separated by CT.
■ Derivatives of epidermis : hair follicles, hair, sweat glands,
sebaceous glands, nail, mammary glands.
■ Thin skin ( possess hair follicles), thick skin doesn’t
Epidermis
■ Stratum basale (aka stratum
germinativum), is called so
because of the presence of stem
cells (mitotically active cells)
■ Stratum spinosum
(spinous/prickle cells), they have
short processes extending from
cell to cell.
■ Stratum granulosum, which
contains numerous granules.
■ Stratum lucidum, limited to thick
skin, considered subdivision of
stratum corneum.
■ Stratum corneum, composed of
keratinized cells.

■ Terminal differention of epidermal

cells is considered to be a special
form of apoptosis.
 Stratum basale
■ Single cell layer that is resting on basal lamina.
■ Contain stem cells, from which keratinocytes arise.
■ The basal cells contain melanin in their cytoplasm, Melanocytes and Merkel cells are found
here
■ Basal cells exhibit extensive tight junction and desmosomes.

Stratum spinosum
• The spines ( processes are attached to the same spines on
neighboring cells by desmosomes)
• Langerhan cells are found here
• In the light microscope the site of desmosome appears thick (
node of Bizzozero)
 Stratum granulosum
■ Most superficial layer of non keratinized portion
■ It is 1 -3 cell layer thick
■ Cell contain numerous keratohyalin granules, hence the name. these granules contain AA
that are precursors of the protein filaggrin, that aggregates the keratin filaments present in
stratum corneum

Stratum corneum
• There is usually abrupt transition between nucleated cells
of granulosum and flattened anucleated of corneum.
• Those are most differentiated cells
• The lose their nucleus and become filled with keratin
• This is the layer that varies most in thickness
• Stratum lucidum is subdivision, only seen in thick skin.
Thin skin versus thick skin

■ Thick skin is only found in a few places in the body, such as the palms of the hands
and soles of the feet. It has a very thick epidermis, the stratum corneum is
particularly prominent, being about 10 times thicker than that of the thin skin.
■ Thick skin has numerous eccrine sweat glands , but has no sebaceous glands or
apocrine sweat glands.
■ In contrast, thin skin, which covers the rest of the body, has a thin epidermis.
Contains all 3 types of glands and lacking stratum lucidum.
■ There are numerous fingerlike projections into epidermis, called dermal papillae. They
consist of CT.
■ Those papillae are complemented by similar protrusion of epidermis, called epidermal ridges
or rete ridges, that project into dermis.’
■ At sites where there is increased mechanical distress, you will find that the epidermal ridges
are much deeper and dermal papillae are much longer.
■ Dermal ridges and papillae are most prominent in the thick skin of palmar and plantar
surface. ( fingerprinting)
■ a series of hemidesmosomes link the intermediate filaments of cytoskeleton ( of epithelial
epidermal cells) into basal lamina.
■ Focal adhesions anchor actin filaments into basal lamina
ermis
■ Composed of 2 layers:
■ 1) papillary layer , the more
superficial layer, consists of
loose CT, immediately
beneath epidermis. The
collagen fibers here are
predominately type 1 and 3.
There are also elastic fibers
that form a thread sheath
like network. Thin. Contains
blood vessels, nerves.
■ 2) reticular layer , lies deep
to papillary, always
considerably thicker and
less cellular than papillary
layer. Consists of mostly type
1 collagen and coarser
elastic fibers. Those fibers
arrange themselves in
specific lines, called
Langer’s lines.
■ The orientation of collagen fibers within
the reticular dermis creates lines of
tension called Langer's lines, which are
of some relevance in surgery and wound
healing.
Hypodermis
■ Deep to reticular layer is
the layer of adipose
tissue, the panniculus
adiposus, which varies in
thickness. It serves as the
major energy storage site.
■ Individual smooth muscle
cells originate in this layer
form erector pili muscles
that connect to deep
surface of hair to the
most superficial dermis.
■ The hypodermis is derived
from the mesoderm, but
unlike the dermis, it is not
derived from the dermatome
region of the mesoderm.
 Keratinocytes
• Predominant cell type of epidermis, they
originate in basal epidermis layer. They
produce keratin the major structural
protein, which makes up 85% of fully
differentiated cell.
• Keratin intermediate filaments here are
called tonofilamens. As they pass through
granulosum stage, those tonofilaments
aggregate in bindles called tonofibrils

. • Due to accumulation of filaggrin and

trichohyalin, which act as promoters for
the aggregation of keratin filaments into
the tonofibrils, initiation of keratinization.
(takes 2-6 hours)
The keratin fibril that is formed is soft keratin
■ Neural crest derived cells
Melanocytes
■ Scattered among basal cells
in stratum basale.
■ It is a dendritic cells, extends
long processes everywhere,
however no desmosomal
attachments
■ They produce and distribute
melanin into keratinocytes.
■ The most important
structure of melanin is to
protect organism from
damaging effects of non
ionizing UV.
■ Pigment donation, this
process is involving
phagocytosis of the tip of
melanocyte by keratinocytes.
 Langerhans’ cell
■ Antigen – presenting cells in
epidermis, dendritic appearing.
■ Do not form desmosomes with
neighboring keratinocytes.
■ Can be seen with gold chloride
trichrome or immunostaining,
■ Part of mononuclear phagocytotic
system.
■ They also occur in the papillary
dermis, particularly around blood
vessels
■ In skin infections, the local
Langerhans cells take up and
process microbial antigens to
become fully functional antigen-
presenting cells.
 Ich bin Merkel … cell
Merkel’s cell
■ Epidermal cells that function in epidermal
cutaneous sensation, tactile epithelial cells
■ Located in stratum basale.
■ Bound to keratinocytes by desmosomes.
■ Contain 80nm dense cored neurosecretory
granules (same as adrenal medulla/carotid
body)
■ Closely associated with terminal bulb of nerve
fiber
■ Combination of neuron and epidermal cell is
called Merkel corpuscle ( mechanoreceptor)
Nerve supply
■ The skin is supplied with bunch of sensory receptors of various types.
■ Free nerve endings in the epidermis terminate in stratum granulosum, these ending are
needed for fine touch, heat, cold. They surround the hair follicles and attach to their outer
root sheath.
■ Encapsulated nerve endings include:
■ 1) Pacinian corpuscle
■ 2) Meissner’s corpuscle
■ 3) Ruffini corpuscle
Pacinian Corpuscle
■ Found in deeper dermis and
hypodermis ( especially in fingertip), in
CT.
■ Around 1mm
■ Composed of myelinated nerve fiber,
encapsulated.
■ Respond to PRESSURE, VIBRATION.
They respond only to sudden
disturbances and are especially
sensitive to vibration.
 Meissner’s corpuscle
■ Touch receptors, that are
particularly responsive to low-
frequency stimuli in the
papillary layer of hairless skin,
ex, lips, palmar surface.
■ for sensitivity to light touch.
■ beneath the epidermis within
the dermal papillae.
Ruffini’s corpuscle

Simplest encapsulated
mechanoreceptors.

1microm in length

Collagen fibers pass through

the corpuscle. So when they get
displaced , fibers get induced.

these detectors are located

between the dermal papillae
and the hypodermis.
■ Each hair follicle represent
Hair follicle and hair
invagination of the epidermis where
hair is formed.
■ The hair follicle is sibdivided into 3
segments:
■ 1) infundibulum, extends from the
surface opening of the follicle to the
level of the opening of its sebaceous
gland
■ 2) isthmus
■ 3) inferior segment , growing follicle .
At the base there is bulb.
■ The base of the bulb is invaginated by
vascularized CT, dermal papilla.
■ Those cells that surround the
papilla are called matrix cells,
they are responsible for the
growth of the hair.
■ Internal root sheath has 3 layers
:
■ 1) cuticle, whose squamous
cells faces the hair shaft,
■ 2) Huxley’s layer, which consists
of single or double layer of
flattened cells that form middle
plate of internal root sheath
■ 3) Henle’s layer, outer single
layer of cuboidal cells, these
cells are in direct contact with
the outermost part of the hair
follicle which represents the
external root sheath.
■ The cells leave the matrix and keratinization occurs in the keratogenous zone.
■ By the time it emerges from the hair follicle it is composed of hard keratin.
■ The internal root sheath consisting of soft keratin does not emerge from the follicle, but is
rather broken down at the isthmus level, where sebaceous secretion will enter.
■ Glassy membrane separates the hair from dermis.
■ Surrounding the follicle there is dense irregular CT. to which arrector pili muscle is attached.
■ Hair has medulla ( central part of shaft, vascularized), medulla is present only in thick hair,
cortex ( which is peripheral to medulla), and cuticle ( outermost layer of hair).
Eccrine sweat glands
■ Eccrine merocrine sweat glands, distributed over entire body
except for lip and external genitalia (thin and thick skin)
■ Apocrine sweat glands, limited to axilla, areola and nipple,
skin around anus
■ 1) eccrine, are simple coiled glands that regulate body
temperature, they are not associated with hair follicle.
Consists of secretory segment, which is located deep in the
dermis and a directly continues duct system( which is
composed of stratified cuboidal epithel.) Sweat consist of
water(99%) and some ions
■ The secretory segment consists of clear, dark and
myoepithelial cells.
■ Dark cell with secretory granules, clear cells without.
■ Arrangement is pseudostratified.
■ Clear cells, abundant glycogen, they produce watery segment
of sweat. Dark cells, abundant rER, means that they produce
proteins.
■ Dermicidin, a protein secreted by eccrine glands
(antimicrobial)
Apocrine glands
■ Large lumen coiled tubular glands associated with hair follicles.
■ Secretion portion is in hypodermis ( upper region), made up of a glomerulus of
secretory tubules and an excretory duct that opens into a hair follicle
■ The tubules are wrapped in myoepithelial cells, which are more developed than in
their eccrine gland counterparts
■ Being sensitive to adrenaline, apocrine sweat glands are involved in emotional
sweating in humans (induced by anxiety, stress, fear, sexual stimulation, and pain)
■ Apocrine glands produce a protein – rich secretion
■ They become active during puberty
■ The secretion contains proteins, carbs, ammonia, lipid, certain organic substances.
■ The substance is odorless, but because of the encounter with bacteria may develop
an odor.
 Nails
■ Plates of keratinized cells containing keratin
■ Rest on nail bed, which consists of the epithelial cells that are continuous with the stratum
basale and stratum spinosum of the epidermis. The nail bed, is a specialised form of skin
epithelium, and has the same four layers of the epidermis of skin, with the nail plate being
analogous to the stratum corneum layer.
■ The proximal part, nail root is buried in the fold of the epidermis and covers the cells of the
matrix, which contains melanocytes, Langerhans, stem cells, epithelial cells, etc.
■ The crescent-shaped white area near the root of the nail, the lunula, derives its color from
the thick partially keratinized matrix cells.
■ Eponychium, or cuticle, the edge of the skin covering the root of the nail.
■ The thickened epidermal layer, hyponychium, secures free edge of the nail plate at the
fingertip.