The Skin

Question 1

What two layers does the skin consist of?

Answer 1

the outer epidermis and the inner dermis

Question 2

What is beneath the two layers of outer epidermis and inner dermis?

Answer 2

the subcutaneous tissue (or adipose tissue), which contains fat-rich cells

Question 3

List all 16 parts required to be labeled on a diagram of the vertical section (VS) of the skin

Answer 3

Epidermis: erector muscle, cornified layer, granular layer, Malpighian layer
Hair, sebaceous gland, sweat pore, sweat duct, capillary, sense receptor, sweat gland, hair follicle, nerve, adipose tissue, dermis

Question 4

What is the epidermis?

Answer 4

it is the outer layer of the skin

Question 5

In what layer of the skin are cells constantly dividing by mitosis? Why?

Answer 5

cells in the Malpighian layer are constantly diving by mitosis to produce new epidermis cells

Question 6

What happens when the new cells produced in the malpighian layer are pushed out through the granular layer?

Answer 6

They produce a waterproof protein called keratin.

Question 7

What does the build-up of keratin in the new malpighian layer cells cause/

Answer 7

It causes the cells to become hardened, or cornified.

Question 8

What causes the cells in the cornified layer to die?

Answer 8

excess keratin, along with a lack of blood capillaries, causes the cells in the cornified layer to die as they reach the surface of the skin.

Question 9

What part of the skin produces melanin?

Answer 9

specialised cells in the malpighian layer produce melanin

Question 10

Describe the appearance of melanin

Answer 10

It is a brown or black pigment

Question 11

What does melanin give colour to?

Answer 11

The colour of the skin, hair and the iris of the eye. Freckles and moles are areas where melanin is very concentrated

Question 12

What does melanin protect the skin from?

Answer 12

It protects the skin against harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Question 13

What is the dermis?

Answer 13

It is the inner layer of skin, located just inside the epidermis

Question 14

What does the dermis consist of?

Answer 14

connective tissue containing a strengthening protein called collagen, a variety of specialized structures such as sweat glands, hair follicles, sebaceous glands (which produce an oil called sebum), blood vessels and nerve receptors

Question 15

What do sebaceous glands produce?

Answer 15

sebum

Question 16

What is collagen?

Answer 16

It is a strengthening protein