Skin
Integumentary System: consists of:
1- The skin
2 layers:
I- The Epidermis
II- The Dermis
2- Skin appendages:
A- Hair.
B. Nail.
C. Sebaceous glands.
D. Sweat glands.
•The largest organ in the The Skin
body, 16% of body
weight.
•Composed of 2 firmly
adherent layers:
I- The epidermis
=superficial epithelium,
avascular, ▲▲ nerve
endings.
II- The Dermis
=deep CT +epidermal
downgrowth (hair,
glands) +BVs +nerves.
The epidermis
Keratinized stratified
squamous epithelium
4 types of cells:
1- Keratinocytes 80% - 90%
2- Melanocytes
3- Langerhans’ cells
4- Merkel cells
A- Keratinocytes: 5 strata
1- Stratum basale = basal cell layer
Stratum germinativum
Mitotic figures
2- Stratum spinosum
=prickle cell layer
L.M: - 5-10 layers, spines (resist friction &
pressure)
Superficial layers
Deep layers
3- Stratum granulosum: granular
layer
membrane bound granule
rich in lipid
provide water-proof barrier
4- Stratum lucidum: clear zone
Degenerated nuclei & organelles
•Densely packed parallel keratin filaments
Stratum
lucidum
5- Stratum corneum
•Densely packed acidophilic parallel keratin
filaments
A- Keratinocytes: 5 strata
desquamating Horny layer
cells
SL Clear zone
Process of keratinization►►takes 15-30
days ►►desquamation of the horny layer
Dandruff
=accumulated thick visible scales in
the skin of the scalp, WHEN??
Non- keratinocytes.
❖Melanocytes.
❖Langerhan cell.
❖Merkel cell.
Melanocytes
The color of the skin:
Brown, Yellowish,
reddish
-It is specialized to
manufacture
melanin pigment
(racial & hereditary colors
the skin)
- Structure
Cytoplasmic processes
No desmosomes
Melanosomes = melanin
granules (screen against
ultra-violet)
Cytocrine secretion
Vitiligo Albinism
Failure of melanocytes to form melanin
pigment ▼▼ tyrosinase enzyme
Degeneration of melanocytes
Langerhans cells
- site:st. spinosum
- Cytoplasmic processes
- motile
- function: Phagocytic
Langerhans cells.
Phagocytic (apcs)
Merkel cell
- site: St.
basale.
-Attatched to
keratinocytes.
- function:
Mechanoreceptor
L.M.
Thick skin Types of skin
Thin skin
1. Site
palm & sole Rest of the
body
2. Epidermis
Thick strata Thin strata
[Link] No S. lucidum
5 strata 4 strata
3. D.E. J
D. papillae: D. papillae:
deep Shallow
regular irregular
numerous few
4. Dermis
Sweat glands: Sweat glands:
numerous Less numerous
No sebaceous Sebaceous glands
glands Hair follicles
No hair follicles
Integumentary System: consists of:
1- The skin
2 layers:
I- The Epidermis
II- The Dermis
2- Skin appendages:
A- Hair.
B. Nail.
C. Sebaceous glands.
D. Sweat glands.
Dermo-epidermal junction
The epidermis is cemented to the
dermis by :
[Link] between
dermal papillae &
interpapillary pegs.
Dermo-epidermal junction
2. Hemidesmosomes binding
the basal cells to the basal
lamina.
Dermis
• The dermis varies in thickness in different sites with average
of 1-3 mm
• It is generally thicker than the epidermis.
• It contains:
• 1-epidermal down growths as the hair follicles, the sweat
glands and the sebaceous glands.
• 2-nerves and nerve endings
• 3-rich plexuses of capillaries and arterio-venous shunts
• thermoregulation
• nutrition
Dermis
Dermis
• The dermis consists of two
layers:
• 1- Thin papillary layer
• 2- Thick reticular layer
1- Thin papillary layer
• It consists of
• loose CT fine ramifying
collagenous, reticular and
elastic fibers
• rich in cells and blood
capillaries.
• Meissner’s tactile
corpuscles.
2- Thick reticular layer
• This forms the deep thick
dermal layer.
• more fibrous
• less cellular and vascular
2- Thick reticular layer
• It consists of
• dense interlacing collagenous
fibers intermingled with a
network of elastic fibers.
• smooth muscle fibers in its
deep parts eg: in the penis,
perineum and scrotum.
• Striated muscles of facial
expression terminate in the
dermis of the skin of the face.
Hypodermis
• Subcutaneous layer
• loose areolar CT rich in fat
cells except in eyelids, penis
and scrotum
Hypodermis
• The hypodermis allows a
great mobility of the skin
• Mobility is limited in palms
and soles the by interlocking
fibers.
Hypodermis
• Function
• provides support for the overlying skin
• provides attachment to deeper tissues
• serves as a depot for fat
• contains the large blood vessels that supply the skin.
Thick skin Thin skin
Skin appendages
• Hair
• Nail
• Glands of the skin:
a. Sebaceous glands Arrector pili
b. Sweat gland muscle
• Eccrine
• Apocrine
The arrector pili muscle
• Origin
• from the CT sheath of the hair follicle
• Insertion
• into the papillary layer of the dermis
• Its contraction leads to erection of
the hairs.
Sebaceous glands
▪ Definition:
Simple branched alveolar glands
▪ Development:
Outgrowth from the upper 1/3 of
the outer root sheath of hair
follicle
MODES OF SECRETORY RELEASE
HOLOCRINE rare MEROCRINE / ECCRINE
SEBU secretion
M
released, filling a secretion released
dead cell by exocytosis, with
Sebaceous gland no loss of cytoplasm
released by exocytosis, with a
little loss of cytoplasm APOCRINE
rare
• The secretory portion:
2 types of cells:
1- basal s. sq. cells
2- polyhedral cells
Type of secretion:
Sebum: (fatty substance +
cellular debris + keratin)
Lubrication
Bactericidal effect
Function of the skin.
References.
• Histology and cell biology by medical staff Alexandria University.
• Mescher ALJLCUa. Junqueira's basic histology: text and atlas. 16th ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2021.
• Gartner LP. Cartilage and Bone. Textbook of Histology. 5th ed.
Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021.
• Ross MH, Pawlina W. Histology: A text and atlas; with correlated cell
and molecular biology. 7th ed. New York: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins; 2016.
References.
• Histology and cell biology by medical staff Alexandria University.
• Mescher ALJLCUa. Junqueira's basic histology: text and atlas. 16th ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2021.
• Gartner LP. Cartilage and Bone. Textbook of Histology. 5th ed.
Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021.
• Ross MH, Pawlina W. Histology: A text and atlas; with correlated cell
and molecular biology. 7th ed. New York: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins; 2016.