revision for anatomy and physiology of the skin

Skin Structure

The skin is the bodies largest organ and has many functions including protection and excretion. This study sheet will help you remember the anatomy or structure of the skin. The physiology is the function. For those of you who haven't signed up to our full anatomy, physiology and pathology course or revision aid here is a simple way to revise your knowledge of the skin.

Make a model, a poster or a large diagram of the skin and include the following components.

Epidermis

          horny layer

          clear layer

          granular layer

          germinative layer

          papillae

          pigment granules

          pore

Dermis

          dermal papillae

          erector pili muscle

          hair follicle

          hair root (bulb)

          hair shaft

          melanocyte

          root hair nervous plexus

          sebaceous oil gland

Hypodermis (adipose layer)

          arterial venous capillaries

          blood supply

Nerve endings

          Meissner’s corpuscle (Touch receptor)

          Krause corpuscle (thermoreceptor)

          Ruffinian corpuscle (warmth receptor)

          sensory nerve fibre

          free nerve ending (pain receptor)

 Pacinian corpuscle (pressure receptor)

The Skin – Recap Questions

What does vasodilation mean?

How does the skin appear when capillaries vasoconstrict?

What are the 5 layers of the epidermis called?

What are the sebaceous glands for?

Where do you find melanocytes?

Name the 2 types of sweat gland

What might you find in the stratum germinativum?

Which Vitamin does the skin synthesize?

In which part of the skin might you find collagen fibres?

View all messages