Prepared by

Dr. Belqees A. Allaw

2021
 Introduction
• Skin covers the outer surface of the body
and is the largest organ in the human body,
and comprises approximately 8% of total
body mass.
• Skin and it's accessory structures (hair, sweat
glands, sebaceous glands, and nails) make up
the integumentary system.
• in adults weighs about 5 kilograms.
• The thickness of skin varies from 0.5mm
thick on the eyelids to 4.0mm thick on the
heels of feet.
 Function of the skin
• It provides protection from mechanical
impacts and pressure, variations in
temperature, micro-organisms, radiation and
chemicals.
• A role in the synthesis of vitamin D.
• Regulation of body temperature.
• Psychosexual communication.
• A major sensory organ for touch,
temperature, pain, and other stimuli.
 Gross structure
Skin is classified into two types:
1. Thick skin (glabrous) - covers the palms of the
hands and the soles of the feet
2. Thin skin - covers the rest of the body

vSkin consists of 3 layers:

• Epidermis - outer layer of stratified squamous
keratinized epithelium
• Dermis - dense, irregular connective tissue that
contains other structures (such as hair follicles
and sweat glands)
• hypodermis is deep to the dermis a layer of
varying thickness of loose connective tissue and
adipose tissue.
 Epidermis
• the most superficial layer of the
skin.
• It is stratified squamous
keratinized epithelium.
• It is largely formed by layers
of keratinocytes that responsible
for increasing keratin production
and migration toward the external
surface, a process
termed cornification.
 Layers of epidermis
From deepest to most superficial, these
layers are:
• Stratum basale – mitosis of keratinocytes
occurs in this layer.
• Stratum spinosum – keratinocytes are
joined by tight intercellular junctions
called desmosomes.
• Stratum granulosum – cells secrete lipids
and other waterproofing molecules in this
layer.
Layers of epidermis
• Stratum lucidum – cells lose nuclei and
drastically increase keratin production.
• Stratum corneum – cells lose all
organelles, continue to produce keratin.
A keratinocyte typically takes between 30
– 40 days to travel from the stratum
basale to the stratum corneum.
Keratin
• Keratin is one of a family of fibrous
structural proteins known as
scleroproteins.
• α-Keratin is a type of keratin found in
vertebrates.
It is the key structural material making up
scales, hair, nails, feathers, horns, claws,
hooves, calluses, and the outer layer of
skin among vertebrates.
 Types of skin
Thin skin Thick skin
4 layers 5 layers
Stratum corneum less prominent Stratum corneum prominent
Less developed stratum granulosum Well developed stratum granulosum
Lines most of the body surface Palms of the hands & soles of the feet
Thicker dermis Thinner dermis
Contain hair & sebaceous glands No hair and sebaceous glands
 Epidermis
Other cells that houses the epidermis:
1- Langerhans cells
dendritic cells (antigen-presenting
immune cells) of the skin.
They are present in all layers of the
epidermis and are most prominent in
the stratum spinosum.
• Have branched shape & central
nuclei.
• Represent 3-8% of epidermal cells.
 Epidermis
2- Melanocytes – branched cells with
central nuclei; contains organelles for
protein synthesizes. responsible for melanin
production and pigment formation.

3- Merkel cells – modified epidermal cells;

sensory mechanoreceptors (touch receptor)
found in basal cell layer.
 Dermis
It is dense irregular connective tissue that
supports the epidermis.
The dermis has only two layers, which are less
clearly defined than the layers of the
epidermis.
1- superficial papillary layer:
Contains vascular networks that play role in:
• Supply the avascular epidermis with messiners corpuscles
nutrients.
• thermoregulation.
• light touch via meissners corpuscles which
are free sensory nerve endings.
Dermis
2- deeper reticular layer (features thicker
bundles of collagen fibres that provide more
durability).
Important of this layer:
• Giving the skin it overall strength and
elasticity.
• Housed other epithelial derived structures
such as glands and hair follicles.
 Dermis
This layer contain the following cells:
• Fibroblasts –synthesise the extracellular
matrix
• Mast cells –histamine granule-containing
cells (response to allergy).
• Skin appendages :
hair follicles, nails, sebaceous and sweat
glands.
 Hair follicles
A hair follicle is dermal & epidermal sheath
surrounds hair root which grows a hair by
packing old cells together.
• Attached inside the top of the follicle are
sebaceous glands, which are tiny sebum
(lubrication & bactericidal) -producing
glands in almost all skin EXCEPT on the
palms, lips and soles of the feet.
• The hair follicle itself is associated with
an arrector pili muscle (smooth muscle)
which contracts to cause the follicle to
stand upright.
 Root of the hair
• Root Sheaths -comprised of two parts:
• Internal root sheath - extends from the
hair bulb to the level of sebaceous
glands. It is divided into Huxley's layer
(inner layer of flattened cells) and Henle's
layer (outer single layer of cuboidal cells).
• External root sheath- layers of cells
continuous with the epidermis
• Glassy membrane - thick basement
membrane that separates the hair follicle
from the dermis
Hair
Hair is made of hard keratinized epithelial
cells.
• Melanocytes provide pigment for hair color.
• Hair- shafts (which are absent in most
follicles) are found at the center of hair
follicles.
• Hair shaft contain:
1- central medulla
2- cortex surrounds medulla
3- thin cuticle outer layer of cortex (keratin).
 Sweat glands
There are two main types of sweat glands:
• Eccrine glands
• the major sweat glands of the human body.
• coiled tubular glands (lightly stained) and
ducts (dark stained) with simple or stratified
cuboidal epithelium.
• They release a clear, odourless substance,
comprised mostly of sodium chloride and
water (involved in thermoregulation).
 Sweat glands
• Apocrine glands
• simple cuboidal epithelium and
widely dilated lumen that stores the
secretory product.
• larger sweat glands located in the
axillary and genital regions.
• These apocrine glandular products
can be broken down by cutaneous
microbes, producing body odour.
 Eccrine glands Apocrine glands
cells excrete their substances by a portion of the cell membrane that
exocytosis. contains the excretion buds off.
Location: most all over body Armpites, groin, nipples.
especially on palms & soles
Clear, watery secretion (99%H2O; Viscous cloudy secretions which is
rest NaCl+ some waste products) good nutrient source for bacteria
(odor)
Involved in thermoregulation involved in emotional sweating in
humans (induced by anxiety, stress,
fear, sexual stimulation, and pain)
Nail
• General features of nail:
1- Nail : scale- like modifications of the
epidermis, heavily keratinized.
2- Stratum basale extends beneath the
nail bed responsible for growth.
3- Lack of pigment make them
colorless.
Nail
vNail anatomy:
• Free edge
• Body is visible attached portion.
• The lunula is the visible part of the
root of the nail. Rest root of nail
embedded in skin.
• the eponychium (cuticle) is the
thickened layer of skin surrounding
fingernails and toenails. It can also
be called the medial or proximal nail
fold. Its function is to protect the
area between the nail and epidermis
from exposure to bacteria.
hypodermis
• It is loose connective tissue with
adipose tissue. located immediately
deep to the dermis.
• It is a major body store of adipose
tissue, and as such can vary in size
between individuals depending on the
amount of fatty tissue present.
 YO U
ANK
T H

Anatomy- Dr. Belqees A. Allaw