Epidermis and Dermis Flashcards
What are the skin’s major regions?
- Epidermis
- Dermis
- Hypodermis
What is the epidermis?
A keratinized stratified squamous epithelium made up of 4 cell types and consists of 4 or 5 layers
What is the dermis?
Tough, leathery layer composed of fiberous connective tissue
What two tissues make up the epidermis?
Keratinized stratified squamous and nervous tissue
What are the 4 cells in the epidermis?
- Keratinocytes
- Melanocytes
- Langerhans’ cells
- Merkel cells
Keratinocytes
- Produce keratin
- Most epidermal cells are keratinocytes
Melanocytes
- Cells that create melanin
- Provides color to skin, hair, and eyes
- helps protect skin from UV rays
Langerhans’ Cells
- Epidermal macrophages that help activate the immune system
Merkel (nervous) Cells
- Present at epidermal-dermal junction
- Shaped like a spiky sphere, functions as a sensory receptor for touch
What are the 5 epidermal layers? (Deep-Superficial)
- Stratum basal
- Stratum spinosum
- Stratum granulosum
- Stratum lucidum
- Stratum corneum
Stratum Basal
- Deepest to epidermal layer firmly attached to the dermis.
- Consists of a single row of the youngest keratinocytes (cells undergo rapid division)
- Most vascularized layer
Stratum Spinosum
- Several cell layers (3-5) thick that consists of a weblike system of intermediate filaments.
- Span cytosol to attach to desmosomes
- Consists of prekeratin filaments
- Among keratinocytes are melanin granules and Langerhans’ cells
Stratum Granulosum
- 3-5 cell layers
- Keratinocyte appearance changes drastically
- Keratohyalin (keratin in upper layers) & lamellated granules (water proofing/glycolipid)
- Tight junctions for waterproof layer
- Cells flatten cause keratin replaces cytoplasm and organelles
Stratum Lucidum
- Only visible in thick skin
- Few layers of clear, flat, dead keratinocytes with indistinct boundaries
Stratum Corneum
Consists of 20-30 cell layers thick, it is protected by keratin and the thickened plasma membrane of cells
“Epi”
above
“derm”
skin