Layers of Skin - Skin Layers Information

Skin is the largest organ of the body. The skin is an ever-changing organ which have many specialized cells and structures. The skin is made up of three apparent layers. The top layer is known as epidermis. It forms the waterproof, preventive wrap over the body's surface and is made up of bedded squamous epithelium with an depthing basal lamina. The epidermis is translucent. At the bottom of the epidermis, there is a very thin membrane, termed as the basement membrane, which attaches the epidermis firmly, though not rigidly, to the layer below. The epidermis have no blood vessels, and is nourished by diffusion from the dermis.

The main kind of cells that make up the epidermis are keratinocytes, melanocytes, Langerhans cells and Merkels cells. The epidermis have 5 layers Stratum basale ,stratum spinosum ,stratum granulosum, stratum licidum and stratum corneum. The bottom layer, the stratum basale, has cells which are shaped like columns. In this layer the cells seperate and push already formed cells into higher layers. As the cells move into the higher layers, they flatten and ultimately die.

The uppermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum, is made of dead, flat skin cells that shed about every 2 weeks. The second layer lies deeper and is known as dermis. It contains blood vessels, nerves, hair roots and sweat glands. Dermis is also composed of two layers. Papillary layer and reticular layer.

The dermis is spotted beneath the epidermis and is the thickest of the three layers of the skin (1.5 to 4 mm thick), making up approximately 90 percent of the thickness of the skin. It contains the hair follicles (A small bodily cavity or sac) sweat glands, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands and blood vessels. The blood vessels in the dermis offers nourishment and waste removal to its own cells as well as the Stratum basale of the epidermis. Dermis have many especialized cells and structures such as sebaceous (oil) glands and apocrine (scent) glands are connected with the follicle. Blood vessels and nerves runs over this layer. The nerves dispatches sensations of pain, itch, and temperature.

Third skin layer is subcutis. Subcutis is also known as the hypodermis or subcutaneous (Pertaining to areas beneath the skin ) layer. It also stores fat as an energy reserve for the body. It is mainly composed of adipose tissue. Its physiological function includes insulation and storage of nutrients. The blood vessels, nerves, lymph vessels, and hair follicles also passes through this layer. The thickness of the subcutis layer differs throughout the body and from person to person.

Subcutaneous tissue plays both as an insu­lator, conserving body heat, and as a shock absorber, preventing in­ternal organs from injury. It also stores fat as an energy stock in the event extra calories are needed to power the body. The term also terms to a layer of cells lying directly below the epidermis of plants. This cell is also used to manage the outter skin from burns and other such articulates. The hypodermis is used primarily for fat storage. The anatomical location of the hypodermis is clearly a characteristic. Whilst the hypodermis is rationed over the entire body.