NSE 13A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Eccrine Sweat Gland, Vellus Hair, Stratum Corneum
16 Feb 2019
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Document Summary
The skin is the sentry that guards the body from environmental stresses (e. g. , trauma, pathogens, dirt) and adapts it to other environmental influences (e. g. , heat, cold). The skin has two layers: the outer highly differentiated epidermis and the inner supportive dermis. Beneath these layers is a third layer, the subcutaneous layer of adipose tissue. Rugged protective barrier that is thin but tough that contains keratin which is a tough fibrous protein. Melanocytes interspersed throughout the layer produces melanin which causes the colour we see in skin tones: everyone has same amount of melanocytes but the amount of melanin they produce are different. The stratum corneum is the upper most layer and cells migrate from the base up to it; composed of dead keratinized cells that are being shed and replaced with by new cells below. Epidermis is avascular and nourished by blood vessels in the dermis below.
