SKIN AND BODY MEMBRANES

Body Membranes
 Body membranes cover surfaces, line body
cavities, and form protective sheets around
organs
 Fall into two major groups :
 1. epithelial membranes
include cutaneous, mucous, and serous
membranes
 2. connective tissue membranes
◦ Represented by synovial membranes
 Body Membranes
The functions of body membranes:
1. line or cover body surfaces
2. protect body surfaces
3. lubricate body surfaces
 Epithelial Membranes
 Calling these “epithelial” is inaccurate
 Do contain an epithelial sheet, but it is
always combined with an underlying layer
of connective tissue
 These are simple organs
 Epithelial Membranes
 Epithelial membranes (covering and lining
membranes) including:

1. Cutaneous membrane
2. Mucous membranes
3. Serous membrane
 Cutaneous Membranes
 The Skin:
◦ Exposed to air
◦ Dry membrane
 The superficial epidermis
◦ keratinizing stratified squamous
epithelium
 The underlying dermis
◦ mostly dense fibrous connective tissue
 Mucous Membranes
 Surface epithelium
 type depends on site

 Underlying loose connective

tissue (lamina propia)

 Lines all body cavities that open to the

exterior body surface

 Often adapted for absorption and

secretion
 Serous Membranes
 Surface simple squamous epithelium
 Underlying areolar connective tissue
 Lines open body cavities that are
closed to the exterior of the body
 Serous layers separated by serous
fluid
 Serous Membranes
 Specific serous membranes
◦ Peritoneum
 Abdominal cavity
◦ Pleura
 Around the lungs
◦ Pericardium
 Around the heart
Connective Tissue Membranes

 Synovial membrane
 Connective tissue only
 Lines fibrous capsules surrounding joints
 Provide:
◦ Smooth surface
◦ Secrete lubricating fluid
Synovial Membrane
Connective Tissue Membranes
 Synovial membrane
◦ Also line bursae and tendon sheaths
◦ Cushion organs moving against each
other during muscle activity
 Integumentary System
 Skin (cutaneous membrane)
 Skin derivatives
◦ Sweat glands
◦ Sebaceous glands
◦ Hairs
◦ Nails
 Skin Functions
 Protects deeper tissues from:
◦ Mechanical damage
◦ Chemical damage
◦ Bacterial damage
◦ Thermal damage
◦ Ultraviolet radiation
◦ Desiccation
 Skin Functions
 The uppermost layer of the skin is full of
keratin and is cornified, or hardened, to
help prevent water loss from the body
surface
Skin Functions
 Protects deeper tissues
 Aids in heat regulation
◦ Capillary network and sweat glands
 Aids in excretion of urea and uric acid
◦ Urea, salts, water
 Synthesizes Vitamin D
◦ Modified cholesterol molecules in the skin are
converted to Vitamin D by sunlight
 Cutaneous Sensory Receptors
◦ Tiny sensors detect touch, pressure,
temperature and pain
 Skin Structure
 Epidermis – outer layer
◦ Stratified squamous epithelium
◦ Often keratinized
 Dermis
◦ Dense connective tissue
Skin Structure
 Skin Structure
 Epidermis and dermis are firmly connected
 A burn or friction may cause them to separate
 Interstitial fluid accumulates, forms blister
 Skin Structure
 Deep to the dermis is the hypodermis
(subcutaneous tissue)
 Not part of the skin
 Anchors skin to underlying organs
 Composed mostly of adipose tissue
 Epidermis
 Composed of up to five layers:
◦ Stratum basale

◦ Stratum spinosum

◦ Stratum granulosum

◦ Stratum lucidum

◦ Stratum corneum
 Epidermis

 Most cells of the

epidermis are
keratinocytes:
keratin cells
 Epidermis – Stratum basale
 The stratum basale is a single layer of cells primarily made
of basal cells. A basal cell is a cuboidal-shaped stem cell
that is a precursor of the keratinocytes of the epidermis.
 Deepest cell layer in epidermis
 Lies closest to the dermis
 Receive the most nourishment, through diffusion,
from the dermis
 Cells are undergoing mitosis
 (also called the stratum germinativum)
 Pushed upward from this layer
Epidermis – Stratum basale
 Epidermis – stratum spinsosum
and stratum granulosum
 Above the stratum
basale is the stratum
spinosum and then the
stratum granulosum
 Flatter, more
keratinized
Epidermis – Stratum lucidum
 Above the stratum granulosum is the
stratum lucidum
 Clear layer full of dead skin cells
 Not present in all skin regions
 Thick, hairless areas (palms, soles)
 High in keratin
 Far from blood supply
Epidermis – Stratum corneum
 Outermost layer
 Accounts for ¾ of epidermal thickness
 Shingle-like dead cells
 Completely filled with keratin
 Also called cornified or “horny cells”
 Epidermis – stratum corneum
 The stratum corneum rubs and flakes
off slowly as dandruff
 The stratum corneum is replaced quickly
by rising cells from the stratum basale
 We have an entirely new epidermis
every 25-45 days.
 Epidermis - Melanin
 Melanin: pigment that
ranges in color from yellow
to brown to black
 Melanin is produced by
melanocytes
◦ Found mainly in the
stratum basale
 Accumulates in
membrane-bound
granules called
melanosomes
 Epidermis - Melanin
 The amount of
melanin in the
epidermis results from
genetics and sunlight
exposure
 Freckles and moles are
seen in areas where
melanin is concentrated
Dermis
 Dermis – your hide
 Two layers:
 Papillary Layer (upper region)
 Reticular Layer (lower region)
 Dermis – Papillary Layer
 Dermal Papillae
◦ Indent epidermis above
◦ Create fingerprints
 Capillary loops
◦ Nourish epidermis
 Pain and touch receptors
◦ Pain – free nerve endings
◦ Touch – Meissner’s corpuscles
 Dermis – Reticular Layer
 Blood vessels
 Sweat and oil glands
 Deep pressure receptors – Pacinian
corpuscles
 Contain phagocytes that prevent bacteria
from reaching deeper tissues
 Dermis
 Heavy in collagen and elastic fibers
 As age increases, these fibers decrease as
do fat cells and skin sags
 Abundantly supplied with blood
◦ Skin reds and warms with high body temp
 Rich nerve supply
 Skin appendages
 Skin appendages: skin-associated
structures that serve a particular function
 Functions include sensation, contractility,
lubrication and heat loss
Skin Appendages
 Skin appendages
include cutaneous
glands, hair and hair
follicles, nails
 Arise from the
epidermis
 Play a role in
homeostasis
Cutaneous Glands
 Exocrine glands
◦ Release secretions to the skin surface via
ducts
 Two groups:
◦ Sebaceous glands
◦ Sweat glands
 Formed in the stratum basale and
push into the deeper layers of the
dermis
 Sebaceous Glands
 Oil glands
 Found all over skin except
palms and soles
 Sebum: the product of
sebaceous glands
◦ Lubricate skin
◦ Kills bacteria
 Most with ducts empty into
hair follicles
 Increase production during
puberty
Sweat Glands
 Also called sudoriferous glands
 Widely distributed across the skin
 Two types:
 1. eccrine
◦ Open via duct to pore on skin
◦ Produce sweat
◦ Important in heat regulation
 2. apocrine
◦ Usually larger than eccrine glands
◦ Ducts empty into hair follicles
◦ Activated during pain and stress
Sweat Glands
 Sweat and its Function

Composition:
◦ Mostly water
◦ Some metabolic wastes (ammonia, urea, etc.)
◦ Fatty acids and proteins (apocrine only)
 Function:
◦ Helps dissipate excess heat
◦ Excretes waste products
◦ Acidity decreases bacterial growth
 Odor is from associated bacteria
 Hair structures
 Hair follicle
◦ Dermal and epidermal sheath surround hair
root
 Arrector pili
◦ Smooth muscle
◦ Cause hair to stand up
◦ Goosebumps (piloerection)
 Sebaceous gland
◦ Lubricates hair
 Sweat gland
 Nails
 Scale-like modifications of the
epidermis
◦ Highly keratinized
 Stratum basale extends beneath the
nail bed
◦ Responsible for growth
 Lack of pigment makes them colorless
Infections
 Athlete’s Foot
◦ Medically known as tinea pedis
◦ Caused by a fungal infection
◦ Thrives in warm, moist areas
◦ Contagious by contact
 Infections
 Boils and Carbuncles
◦ Inflammation of hair follicles and
sebaceous glands
◦ Caused by bacterial infection
 Infections
 Cold sores
◦ Caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus
◦ Can remain dormant for extended periods of
time
 Infections
 Impetigo
◦ Caused by bacterial infection (staph)
◦ Highly contagious
◦ Common in elementary children
 Allergies
 Contact dermatitis
◦ Exposure to substance causes an allergic
reaction
◦ Ex. poison ivy
 Allergies
 Psoriasis
◦ Chronic, autoimmune condition
◦ Can be disfiguring
◦ Attacks are often triggered by trauma,
infection, stress or hormonal changes
 Burns
 Burn: tissue damage and cell death
caused by heat, electricity, UV
radiation (sunburns) or chemicals
Burns – Rule of Nines
 Way of determining the extent of
burns (how much of the body is
burned)

 Body is divided into 11 areas for quick

estimation
◦ Each area represents about 9% of the
body
◦ (last 1% is the area surrounding the
gentials)
Burns – Rule of Nines
Burns - Severity
 First-Degree

 Second – Degree

 Third-Degree
1st degree burns
 Only the epidermis is damaged
(superficial)
 Skin is red and swollen
 No blistering
 Minimal pain
 Usually heals in a week or less

 Cool, cover loosely, over the counter

pain medications
1st degree burns
2nd degree burns
 Epidermis and upper dermis are
damaged (partial thickness)
 Skin is red
 Blisters that sometimes break
 Severe pain
 Takes up to a month to heal

 Cool, cover loosely, over the counter

pain meds
 Be cautious of infections
2nd degree burns
3rd degree burns
 Destroy entire skin layer (full thickness)
 Skin is gray-white or black; may appear
waxy of charred
 Minimal pain at first due to nerve
damage

 Partial or complete skin grafts, biomask,

amnion
 Possible system shock and cardiac or
respiratory arrest
 Extended healing time
3rd degree burns
 Skin Cancer
 Cancer – abnormal cell mass
 Two types
 Benign
◦ Does not spread (encapsulated)
 Malignant
◦ Metastasized (moves) to other parts of the
body
 Most common type of cancer
Skin Cancer Types
 Basal Cell Carcinoma
◦ Least malignant
◦ Most common type
◦ Arises from stratum basale
 Skin Cancer Types
 Squamous Cell Carcinoma
◦ Arises from stratum spinosum
◦ Metastasizes to lymph nodes
◦ Early removal allows for a good chance of a
cure
 Skin Cancer Types
 Malignant Melanoma
◦ Most deadly type of skin cancer
◦ Cancer of melanocytes
◦ Metastasizes rapidly to lymph and blood
vessels
◦ Detection uses ABCD rule
The End