Role of Skin in Homeostasis (Functions of

Skin)
 Major characteristics of the skin
 Largest organ

 Surface area of up to 2.2 square meters

 Weigh 11 pounds

 7% of total body weight

 Part of integumentary system

 Layers of the skin
 Epidermis:
– Composed of epithelial tissue (stratified squamous)
– Non-vascularized
 Dermis:
– underlies the epidermis
– Tough leathery layer composed of fibrous connective tissue
– Good supply of blood
 Hypodermis:
– Made of adipose tissue
– Not a true part of skin
– Stores fat, anchors skin, protects against trauma
Epidermis

Dermis
Basement
membrane
Epidermis

Dermis

Hypodermis
 Epidermis
 Stratified squamous epithelium

 Several distinct cell layers

 Thick skin –Five layers

 On palms of hands and soles of feet.

 Thin skin – Four layers

 On the rest of the body

 Epidermal layers

 Stratum corneum
(Dying superficial layer)
 Stratum lucidum
 Only in thick skin

 Stratum granulosum

 Stratum spinosum

 Stratum basale
 Different types of cells in the epidermis
 Keratinocytes:
– In the stratum cornium
(outermost - shedding layer)
– Produce a fibrous protein called
keratin
– Are formed in the lowest levels
of the epidermis.
– Pushed upward by the
production of new cells beneath
them.
– Become dead and scale-like
– Millions shed off everyday
 Different types of cells in the epidermis
 Melanocytes:
– Synthesizes the pigment
melanin

– Melan – black
Melanocyte
– Can transfer melanin to
Melanin in
keratinocytes keratinocyte

– Protects skin from

ultraviolet radiation.
 Different types of cells in the epidermis
 Merkel Cells (Merkel discs)
- Connected to nerve cells from dermis
- Function as sensory receptors

 Langerhan ’ s cells
- Tissue macrophages
 Dermis
 Made up of connective tissue

 Richly supplied with blood vessels and lymph vessels

 Has hair follicles, sebaceous and sweat glands and sensory receptors

 Ridges formed from the papillary layer form finger prints.

 Filled with dense irregular fibrous connective tissue

 Matrix is filled with thick bundles of collagen fibers (give the skin strength)

 Less dense regions are called lines of cleavage or tension lines; surgeons use
these to make incisions because they heal quicker.
 Hypodermis
 Superficial fascia and subcutaneous tissue

 Consists of fascia and fat tissue under the dermis.

 Consists of fat cells , fibroblasts and macrophages.

 Fat storage

 Protection of body from trauma

 Conserves energy

 Insulates for heat changes.

 Fat cells do not multiply after puberty - as body stores more fat,
the number of fat cells remains the same. Each fat cell simply
gets bigger!
 Fat cells are large cells have very little cytoplasm, only 15
percent of cell volume, a small nucleus and one large fat droplet
that makes up 85 percent of cell volume.
 Color of skin
 3 pigments contribute to skin color
– Melanin:
 protein pigment (natural sunscreen)

 Can range in color from reddish brown to black

 Everyone has the same number of melanocytes but make

varying amounts and colors (differences in skin color)

 Increased melanin production can caused by sunlight.

– Carotene:
 yellow to orange pigment

 Most commonly found in the palms or soles.

 Most intense when large amounts of carotene-rich foods

are eaten.
– Hemoglobin- Red blood cells gives a pinkish hue to fair skin
 Appendages of the skin
 Sweat glands

 Sebaceous glands

 Hair

 Nails
 Appendages of the skin
Sweat glands:
– Merocrine - common sweat glands

– Apocrine - produce sweat plus a milky or yellowish

substance composed of fat and protein.
 Found in the arm pits. groin and genitalia

 scent glands (give odor)

– Ceruminous- produce cerumen- mucoid secretion (ear

wax)

Sebaceous glands- oil glands (sebum)

– Softens and lubricates hair and skin
– Slows water loss and kills bacteria
 Hair
 Help in tactile sensations

 Hair on the head protects the head from a blow, sunlight

and heat loss.

 Eyelashes shield the eye

 Nose hairs filter the air

 Hair
 Made from hair follicles

 Made of dead keratinized skin cells(epidermis)

 Two parts shaft and root

 Shaft has 3 layers

– Medulla(central core)
– Cortex (bulky layer)
– Cuticle (outer heavily keratinized; protects hair)
 Nails
 A nail is a scale like modification of the epidermis

 Made of tightly compressed keratinized cells

 Useful tools to pick up small objects or scratch an itch.

 Nail matrix is the region responsible for nail growth.

 Functions of the skin
1. Chemical barrier:
 low pH of skin secretions slows pathogen growth.
 Human defensin is an antibiotic that destroys pathogens

2. Physical barrier:
 very few substance are able to enter and leave through skin
 Mechanical protection
 Heat isulation
 Water conservation
 Prevention of pathogens entry
 Protection from U V radiation

3. Biological barrier:
 Langerhan’s cells, act as epidermal police for pathogens
 Functions of the skin
4. Thermoregulation
 Sweat glands that secrete watery fluid, that when
evaporates, cools the body.
 Heat and cold receptors are located in the skin. When
the body temperature rises, the hypothalamus sends
signals to the sweat glands, causing them to increase
their secretion
 The hypothalamus also causes dilation of the blood
vessels of the skin, allowing more blood to flow,
causing more heat to be evaporated from the skin
surface through water in the sweat.
 When body temperature falls, the sweat glands constrict
and sweat production decreases.
 Functions of the skin
5. Sensation
 Skin contains sensory receptors that detect cold, warmth, tactile
sensations

6. Vitamin D synthesis
 Vit D is synthesized by ultraviolet rays in sunlight

7. Blood reservoir
 Blood is moved from skin to any other tissue when required

8. Excretion
 Sweating is an important outlet for wastes such as salt and nitrogen
containing compounds.
 Functions of the skin
9. Water balance

10. Electrolyte balance

11. Fat and glucose storage

12. Diagnosis - Skin examination

 Anemia , jaundice , cyanosis, Addison’s disease, infective
lesions, xanthomas , hyperthermia, hypothermia. SLE,
Sarcoidosis, Systemic sclerosis
 Functions of the skin
13. Healing of the wounds
 Shallow wounds (epidermis)
– Epithelial cells divide and fill in gap
 Functions of the skin
 Deep wounds (dermis or hypodermis)

– Blood vessels are repaired

– Clot forms and dries into a scab

– Fibroblasts lay down collagen fibers forming scar

– Phagocytes remove foreign particles

 Functions of the skin
14. Delivery of drugs

 Patches
– Have been used to deliver a number of therapeutic
drugs in this manner.

– These include estrogen, scopolamine (motion sickness),

nitroglycerin (IHD), and nicotine (for those trying to
quit smoking).

 Topical ointments, creams and lotions

 Functions of the skin
 Injections
– Subcutaneous

– Intradermal

– Intramuscular
 Functions of the skin
15. Skin grafting

16. Botox treatment of skin

 Botulinum toxin (Botox) is used for various cosmetic and
medical procedures.

 This can weaken the overactive muscles for a period of

three to four months.

 In cosmetic applications, a Botox injection, consisting of a

small dose of botulinum toxin, can be used to prevent
development of wrinkles by paralyzing facial muscles
Any question?
Thank you