Skin & appendages

A/P Dr. Joachim Perera

Learning outcomes
1. Describe the microscopic anatomy of the
epidermis & dermis
2. Describe the structure of the hair follicle,
sebaceous gland & sweat gland
3. Describe the structure of the nail
4. Describe the arrangement blood vessels of the
skin

5. Describe the nerve supply of the skin

Layers of skin

Epidermis

Dermis

Epidermis

Keratinocytes

Melanocytes
Distributed in the

basal layer
Produce melanin as
granules

Transfer the melanin

to keratinocytes

Langerhan cells
Distributed in the spiny
layer
Antigen presenting
cells

Activates plasma cells

to produce antibodies

Merkel cells

Distributed in the
basal layer
Are in contact with
sensory nerve endings
Touch receptors

Thick skin

Thin skin

Dermis

Papillary layer
Loose connective tissue with thin collagen &
elastic fibers
Dermal papillae extends into epidermis

Dermis

Reticular layer
Dense connective tissue thick collagen &
elastic fibers
Give strength and elasticity

Blood supply

Sweat glands
Coiled simple tubular glands
Mostly Eccrine
Some apocrine

Hair shaft
Lies above
the skin

Cuticle
Cortex
Medulla

Formed of hard
keratin

Hair follicle
Epidermal down
growth forming a
sheath around the hair
root
Internal epithelial
root sheath

External epithelial
root sheath
Connective
tissue root sheath
Hair matrix
Hair papilla

Sebaceous glands

Simple alveolar glands

Secretes sebum
Holocrine secretion

Arrector pili
muscle
Sebaceous
gland

Nail
Modified upper layers of the epidermis

Nerve supply and sensory receptors

Unencapsulated

1. Free nerve
endings
2. Merkel discs
3. Hair follicle
receptors

Nerve supply and sensory receptors

Encapsulated

1. Meissners
corpuscles
2. Pacinian
corpuscles
3. Ruffini endings

Do it yourself !
Function
Protection

Microscopic adaptation
Mechanical Thick keratin layer
Infection tight cell junctions prevents
entry of organisms. Langerhan cells
helps in the production of antibodies