STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE SKIN

 
- Largest organ of the body which covers the exterior of the
body and is continuous with the mucous membranes lining the
body’s orifices. It constitutes 8% of the body mass & the total
body surface area is ~ 2m 2; thickness - <1mm on the eyelids to
>4mm on the back.
• hair bearing skin & glabrous skin
• three layers
• EPIDERMIS, BASEMENT MEMBRANE (BM), DERMIS, HYPODERMIS
• skin appendages
PILOSEBACEOUS FOLLICLES, SWEAT
GLANDS, NAIL
EPIDERMIS
Keratinising stratified squamous epithelium; it is formed of mainly
keratinocytes, few melanocytes & Langerhans’ cells; comprises 4 layers:

• Stratum basale: formed of germinative cells which comprise both stem

cells and proliferative cells; they are tall columnar cells aligned
perpendicular to the BM and have round to oval, relatively dark staining
nuclei; basal cells contain tonofilaments (composed of keratin filaments)
aggregated into bundles or tonofibrils.
•  
• Stratum spinosum: polygonal cells with abundant eosinophilic
cytoplasm, oval vescicular nuclei and conspicuous nucleoli with
intercellular bridges (prickles or desmosomes);desmosomes are dense
plaques on adjacent cell membranes.
• Stratum granulosum: the cells contain keratohyalin granules,
which consist of irregular amorphous aggregates.
 
• Stratum Lucidum: present only in the palmo-plantar areas

• Stratum corneum: flattened cells without nucleus, forming

plates of keratin layers.
 
• The normal transit time from the basal to corneal layer is ~ 14
days. Total epidermal turnover time is ~ 70 days.
BASEMENT MEMBRANE (BM)
 
The basement membrane zone is divided into four zones
• The cell membrane of the basal keratinocyte
• The lamina lucida (~35nm)
• Lamina densa (~30-50nm)
• The sub-basal lamina fibrous zone (fibro-reticular network)
OTHER EPIDERMAL CELLS
 
• Melanocytes:
Clear cells with pale cytoplasm & dendritiprocesses;contains
melanosomes- melanin- 1.eumelanin- brown or black
pigment & 2.pheomelanin- yellow red.
• Langerhans’ cells
An intraepidermal antigen-processing cells; plays an important
role as an antigen presenting cell in T lymphocyte dependent
immune responses.
• Merkel cells
Slow adapting mechanoreceptors; found in the hairy and
glabrous skin of the digits, lips, regions of the oral cavity, and
the outer sheath of the hair follicle
DERMIS
 
The dermis supports the epidermis. It is divided into the upper
papillary dermis and the lower reticular dermis. The skin
appendages are contained within the dermis. It is composed of
 
• Fibrous connective tissue:
collagen fibres- complex protein, formed of monomer
tropocollagen; elastic fibres- responsible for the retractile
properties of skin, composed of microfibrils
 
• Cells: fibroblasts responsible for the synthesis & degradation of
fibrous and non fibrous connective tissue matrix protein;, mast
cells, macrophages, myofibroblasts
• Ground substance: forms the milieu for the cellular and
fibrous constituents; consists of fibronectin and the
glycosaminoglycans (hyaluronic acid, chondroitin-4-sulphate,
dermatan sulphate)
 
• Blood vessels:
The dermis has two vascular plexuses linked by
intercommunicating vessels; the deep lies in the interface
between the dermis and the subcutaneous fat & the
superficial lies in the superficial aspect of the reticular dermis.

 
Nerves:
The skin is richly innervated which comprises:
• An efferent non-myelinated system, responsible for the
function of the cutaneous vasculature and skin appendages;
an afferent myelinated and non myelinated system
responsible of cutaneous sensation.
• Free nerve endings- appreciation of temp,itch & pain
• Nerve endings in relation to hair
• Encapsulated nerve endings, of Pacini- appreciation of deep
pressure and vibration, of Meissner- appreciation of touch
 
Arrector pili muscle
SUBCUTANEOUS FAT

Formed of adipocytes, which are organized in lobules,

defined by septa of fibrous connective tissue, containing
nerves, blood vessels and lymphatics.