12.6 Structure and Layers of the Skin

Question 1

What are the main roles of the skin?

Answer 1

1. protect from pathogens
2. prevent excess evaporation of water
3. regulate body temperature

Question 2

What are the three layers of the skin?

Answer 2

epidermis
dermis
subcutaneous tissue/hypodermis

Question 3

What is the subcutaneous/hypodermis?

Answer 3

deepest layer of skin that contains a protective, insulation layer of fat

Question 4

What is the epidermis?

Answer 4

outermost layer of the skin

Question 5

What is the epidermis composed of?

Answer 5

stratified squamous epithelial cells

Question 6

What is the stratum basale?

Answer 6

cells at the deepest part of the epidermis that replace epidermal cells through mitosis

Question 7

What is the purpose of the epidermis having many layers of cells?

Answer 7

provides a strong protective structure

Question 8

What does it mean for epidermal cells to be keratinized?

Answer 8

as the cells die they become filled with keratin making the skin waterproof

Question 9

What is melanin?

Answer 9

brown pigment produced by melanocytes that help absorb UV light of the sun to prevent damage to underlying tissues

Question 10

What is the dermis?

Answer 10

middle layer of the skin

Question 11

What is the dermis composed of?

Answer 11

various cell-types embedded in a connective tissue matrix

Question 12

What are the main components of the dermis?

Answer 12

blood vessels
sensory receptors
glands
hair follicles

Question 13

What is the purpose of sensory receptors in the dermis?

Answer 13

sense touch, pain, pressure, and temperature and relay it to the central nervous syste,

Question 14

What are the three glands that the dermis contains?

Answer 14

sudoriferous = sweat
sebaceous = oil
ceruminous = wax

Question 15

What is the purpose of the sweat glands in the dermis?

Answer 15

allow loss of excess heat by evaporation