Integument A&P, skin appendages Flashcards
The major function of skin
keep the body in homeostasis
● Provides boundaries for body fluids
● Protecting underlying tissue from microorganisms,
harmful substances, and radiation
● Modulates body temperature
● Synthesizes Vitamin D
The skin is composed of 3 layers
● Epidermis
● Dermis
● Subcutaneous tissue
5 Layers of the epidermis
- Basal cell layer (stratum germinativum)
- Squamous cell layer (stratum spinosum)
- Granular cell layer (stratum granulosum)
- Stratum lucidum
- Cornified or horney layer (stratum corneum)
It takes _____ for cells to migrate from basal
cell layer to the cornified layer
14 days
Stratum Basale (Germinativum)
● Deepest layer of epidermis (~1 cell thick)
● These basal cells are the primary location of mitotic
activity and give rise to cells of the outer epidermal
layers
Cell types found in the Stratum Basale (Germinativum)
○ Melanocytes (pigment producing cells)
○ Langerhans cells (immune cells)
○ Merkel cells (touch receptors)
Stratum Spinosum
● Layer of squamous cells 5-10 cells thick
● Proximal layers are round with round nuclei
but as cells progress distally they begin to
flatten
● Keratinization begins in this layer
Stratum Granulosum
● Layer of granular cells 3-5 cells thick
● Keratinocytes flatten out and organelles
begin to disintegrate (cells die as they move
farther away from the vasculature)
The Stratum Granulosum accumulates two types of granules
● Keratohyalin granules – help form keratin
in upper layers
● Lamellated granules – waterproofing
glycolipids
Stratum Lucidum
● 3-5 layers of dead flattened keratinocytes
● Found in areas of thick skin
○ Palms of hands
○ Soles of feet
● Named for its “translucency”
Stratum Corneum
● Broad zone of 20-30 layers
● Flat, cornified cells (corneocytes; “dead”
keratinocytes) provide mechanical
protection to the underlying epidermis
layers (tough and waterproof)
Once they reach this layer
the cells have no nucleus and are “dead”
Stratum Corneum
Melanocyte
● Cells that produce a dark pigment called
melanin
● Melanin gives color to skin and protects it
from the sun’s UV rays
● In people with light skin, melanin can
accumulate in patches forming freckles,
age spots, or liver spots
Color of healthy skin depends on 4 pigments
Melanin
Keratin
Oxyhemoglobin
Deoxyhemoglobin
When hemoglobin loses oxygen it creates a darker and bluer pigment
Deoxyhemoglobin
Merkel Cells
● Located in the deepest layer of the
epidermis
● Merkel cells contact nerve endings in
the dermis below and function as a
type of touch receptor
● Found in sensitive, hairless areas such
as the fingertips and lips
Langerhans Cells
● Type of immune cells
○ Produced in the bone marrow
● Take up sentry-like positions in the epidermis, where they help cells of the immune system recognize potentially dangerous microorganism
and chemicals
● Found in all layers of the epidermis, but most common in the stratum spinosum
Keratinocytes
● About 90% of the cells in the epidermis
● Produce a tough, fibrous protein called
keratin
● Keratin is the main structural protein of
the epidermis
● Provides many of the skin’s protective
properties
Dermis
The layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of epithelial tissue and
cushions the body from stress and strain
Contains hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands,
lymphatic vessels and blood vessels
Dermis
Dermis is Divided into two areas
Papillary Region – superficial
area adjacent to the epidermis
Reticular Region – deep thicker
area
Reticular Region
deep thicker area of the dermis
● Contains the sebaceous glands, sweat glands, roots of the hair, nails, receptors, and blood vessels
Papillary Region
superficial area adjacent to the epidermis
Composed of loose areolar connective
tissue
provide the dermis with a
“bumpy” surface strengthening the
connection between the two layers of
skin
Papillary Region
Composed of dense connective tissue, with
collagenous, elastic, and reticular fibers woven
throughout it, giving the dermis its strength,
extensibility, and elasticity
Reticular Region
Tattoo ink and stretch marks are held in the _____
dermis