Histology of Skin

Histology of Skin
Integument system
Objectives:
The students should be able to:
3. list the functions of the skin.
4. describe the structure of the thick skin.
5. list the differences between thick skin
and thin skin.
6. describe the structure of the dermis.
7. describe the blood supply and nerve
supply of the skin.
6.describe briefly the structure and the
functions of the following appendages of
the skin
a) sebaceous glands
b) sweat glands
c) hair follicles
d) nail
General Concepts & Considerations
• heaviest organ: ? 16% total body weight & 1.2 to
2.3 m2 surface area
• composed of epidermis and dermis
• functions include:
1. protection: physical, biological, against UV
light, from dehydration
2. regulation of body temperature
3. synthesis of vitamin D with UV absorption
4. sensory
• classified as thick or thin skin depending on
thickness of epidermis
Skin: layers
Epidermis
surface layers that are keratinized
Dermis
dense fibro-elastic connective tissue
containing glands and hair
Hypodermis
loose connective tissue consisting largely of
adipose tissue
Characteristics:
•keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
•regenerated by the keratinocyte stem cells in the
basal layer differentiate as they move outwards
•consists of 5 layers or strata
1.stratum basale - deepest
2.stratum spinosum |
3.stratum granulosum |
4.stratum lucidum ?
5.stratum corneum surface
• turnover from basal to superficial ranges from 25
to 50 days
•specialized structures include sweat glands and
hair follicles
Stratum Basale:
•single layer of
columnar or
cuboidal
keratinocyte stem
cells, which are
mitotically active.
deepest layer
•attached to basement
membrane by
hemidesmosomes;
•attached to each other
with desmosomes.
•melanocytes and
Merkel cells present.
Stratum Spinosum:
•several layers of
cuboidal, polygonal and
slightly flattened cells,
with a central
euchromatic nucleus,
mitotically active
•concentrated
tonofilaments in the
cytoplasm
•Langerhans cells
•projections of
melanocytes
Psoriasis= skin disorder where excessive
cell division leads to increased
thickening of strata basale and spinosum
Stratum Spinosum:
cytoplasm is rich in
tonofilaments that
terminate with
desmosomes in spiny
projections, hence
“spinosum” - they hold the
cells together and help to
protect the skin from
abrasions
•shrinkage of the
keratinocytes reveals the
spines
Stratum Granulosum:
•3 to 5 layers of flattened polygonal
cells
•cells accumulate keratohyalin granules
with phosphorylated proteins,
“granulosum”
•contain lamellar granules which are
lipid and protein rich
• are discharged extracellularly to
produce a “cement” that seals the
skin to foreign objects & water
•most superficial layer in which nuclei
are present, but no cell division occurs
Stratum
Granulosum:
Stratum Lucidum:
•a translucent thin layer
of extremely flattened
eosinophilic cells
•nuclei and organelles
not present
•filaments and
desmosomes retained
•cells contain eleidin, a
transformation product of
keratohyalin
Stratum Corneum:
•outermost layer
•composed of 15 to
20 layers of cells
•flattened, non-
nucleated,
keratinized cells:
•filled with filamants

of keratin
•surface cells
continuously
desquamated
Epidermis - specialized cells
Langerhans cells:
•bone marrow derived
monocyte / macrophage cell
that is antigen-presenting
•present in all layers, but
predominantly in stratum
spinosum
•pale nuclei, granular
cytoplasm, processed
•increase in number in
chronic inflammatory skin
diseases
• Merkel’s cells:
– rare in thin skin
– in the stratum basale
– contain small dense granules
– may function as sensory
mechanoreceptors or as neuroendocrine
cells
Melanocytes
•in the stratum basale
pale “halo” of cytoplasm
•neural crest
produce melanin and
pass it on to nearby
keratinocytes
•melanin covers nuclei of
keratinocytes
•skin color depends on
activity of cells, rather
than number
Dermis
dense irregular connective
tissue
•type I collagen
•networks of elastic fibers
•blood vessels nerves &
nerve endings
•in old age cross linking of
fibers increase and
number of elastic fibers
decreases
•blood vessels in skin
important in blood
temperature and pressure
regulation
Dermal Papillae:
•interdigitations of the dermis and the
epidermis which counteract shearing force
between the two layers –
• prominent in areas that grip or experience

friction e.g. fingertips, palms, soles of feet
Layers
papillary layer - loose FECT that forms the
dermal papillae, loops of small blood vessels and
capillaries, nerve endings
reticular layer - dense irregular FECT that forms
bulk of dermis, with blood vessels and a-v
shunts, lymphatics and nerves
Blisters
an accumulation of fluid at dermo-epidermal
junction due to: excessive shearing force or heat
Dermatitis - rash
in response to viral infections or allergies
epidermis thickens and disrupted by infiltration of
leukocytes and accumulation of extracellular fluid
blood vessels in upper dermis are dilated
Dermis - sweat gland
Eccrine sweat glands

(aka merocrine)
•distributed in skin
throughout the body,
•particularly abundant
on forehead, scalp,
axillae, palms and soles
•simple coiled tubular
•sweat is hypotonic,
watery, neutral or
slightly acidic
sweat gland
ducts:
do not divide
are narrow and lined by stratified cuboidal
epithelium, and pass through dermis and
epidermis
secretory portion:
in dermis
surrounded by myoepithelial cells which help
discharge secretion
dark cells line the lumen and contain secretory
granules
clear cells underlie the dark cells and pass
intercellular canaliculi to the lumen
Sweat Glands
Apocrine sweat glands
•large specialized sweat glands localized in
axilla, areola, circumanal region
•begin to function in puberty and respond to
hormones
•large coiled secretory portion: inner cuboidal
cells, outer flat cells on basement membrane,
wide lumen, myoepithelial cells present but not
prominent
•empty into hair follicles
•innervated by adrenergic fibers
•produce viscid milky secretions in response to
external stimuli such as fear or sexual
excitement
Meissner’s
corpuscle
•a specialized
structured nerve
ending
•touch receptor
•confined to dermal
papillae
• most numerous
on hands and feet
Pacinian corpuscle
•an encapsulated nerve
ending
•pressure receptor
•found in deep dermis or
hypodermis
•General Skin Nerve supply:
- free nerve endings detect
pain and temperature
- innervation by sympathetic
nervous system controls
blood flow and hair
Thick vs Thin skin
All before has been about thick
skin:
•on the palms, fingertips or the soles
of the feet
•lacks follicles, sebaceous glands,
arrector pili muscles
in contrast thin skin:
•is over most of the body, contains
hair follicles, sebaceous glands and
arrector pili muscles
•thinner epidermis
•less well developed strata granulosa
and lucida, and the stratum corneum
may be quite thin
Hair - thin skin only
•made of keratin
•follicle derived from epidermal
epithelium
•begins deep in dermis
•connective tissue sheath
•sebaceous glands
•medulla, cortex and cuticle
•arrector pili muscle -bundles of
smooth muscle attached to hair
follicles in dermis and papillary
layer of dermis
•contraction elevates hairs -
goose bumps
Sebaceous glands
distributed over most of the body (at 100 / cm2),
•with (400 to 900 / cm2) on face, forehead and

scalp
•acinar glands with several sacs
•most have short ducts that empty into neck of

hair follicle, or onto the skin directly (eyelids,
lips, glans penis and glans clitoridis )
•acini consist of basal layer of undifferentiated
flattened epithelium
•these cells divide, differentiate, and then

break down to release their fat droplets into the
lumen of the gland forming sebum, which is
then released by the gland
•sebum is a complex mix of triglycerides,

waxes, cholesterol and esters, with mild anti-
bacterial and anti-fungal activity
•activity controlled by sex-hormones

Nail –
• located on dorsal distal phalanx of each finger
and toe
• nail plate composed of hard keratin lying on nail
bed
• the stratum corneum of the epidermis that
overlies the nail root forms the eponychium
(cuticle)
• hyponychium or nail plate consists of the stratum
corneum of the underlying nail bed, and so is a
keratinized epithelial layer
• nail bed epidermis has only strata basale and
spinosum
• growth due to cells in nail matrix at nail root

Histology of Skin

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Histology of Skin

•filled with filamants

• prominent in areas that grip or experience

Eccrine sweat glands

•with (400 to 900 / cm2) on face, forehead and

•acinar glands with several sacs

•most have short ducts that empty into neck of

•these cells divide, differentiate, and then

•sebum is a complex mix of triglycerides,

•activity controlled by sex-hormones

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