Histology of Skin

Alya Amila Fitrie, Radita NA Ginting

Department of Histology
Medical School, University of Sumatera Utara
2014
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INTRODUCTION

The heaviest single

organ of the body,
16% of TBW.
Presenting 1,2 2,3 m2 of
surface.
Composed of :
Epidermis : an epithelial layer of
ectodermal origin
Dermis : a layer of connective
tissue of mesodermal origin. 2
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Comparative thickness of the skin

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Comparative thickness of the skin

Thick skin in acral Thin skin in eyelid

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Comparative features of thick and thin
skin

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EPIDERMIS

Consist mainly of
a stratified squamous
keratinized epithelium
keratinocytes.
Three << abundant cell types :
1. Melanocytes : neural crest-derived cell
2. Langerhans cell : derived from bone marrow
precursor
3. Merkels cell : neural crest-derived cell 7
Five layers of keratin-producing cells
(keratinocytes) :

1. Stratum corneum
2. Stratum lucidum
3. Stratum granulosum
4. Stratum spinosum
5. Stratum basale
(stratum
germinativum)

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Stratum basale
(Stratum germinativum)
Single layer of basophilic columnar or cuboidal
cell resting on basement membrane at the
dermal-epidermal junction.
Desmosom (+), hemidesmosom (+)
Stem cells intense mitotic activity & is
responsible, in conjunction with the initial
portion of the next layer, for constant renewal of
epidermal cells.
Human epidermis is renewed about every 15-30
days. 9
Stratum spinosum
Consists of cuboidal or slighly
flattened cell, a central nucleus,
a cytoplasms processes :
bundles of keratin filaments, a
spine-studded appearance
(tonofilaments).
The filaments :
Maintaining cohesion among cells
Resisting the effect of abrasion
Stratum basale + stratum
spinosum = stratum Malpighi
mitoses
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Stratum spinosum (cont.)

Stratum spinosum of the thick skin from sole of the

foot. Pararosaniline-toluidine blue. Medium magnification
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Stratum granulosum
Consists of 3-5 layers of
flattened polygonal cells,
cytoplasm filled with
keratohyalin granules.
The membrane-coated lamellar granules :
containing lamellar disks that are formed by
lipid bilayers. This granules : fuse with cell
membrane discharge their contents
intercellular spaces of stratum granulosum
form of sheets containing lipid
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Stratum lusidum

Translucent, thin layer

of flattened eosinophilic
epidermal cells.
Organelles & nuclei (-)
Cytoplasm : densely packed keratin
filaments
Desmosom (+) between adjacent cells

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 Cornified envelope lipids
Stratum corneum
Consists of 15-20 layers
of flattened nonnuclea-
ted keratinized cells.
Cytoplasm :
a birerfringent filamentous
scleroprotein, keratin.
After keratinization, the cells consist of only
fibrillar & amorphous proteins; & thickened
plasma membrane horny cells or corneocyte

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Melanocytes
A specialized cell of the epidermis found
beneath or between the cells of the
stratum basale & in the hair follicles.
Derived from neural crest cells.
Hemidesmosom(+), desmosom (-)

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Melanogenesis

http://www.ambion.com/tools/pathway/loadImage.
php?pos=bl&im=images/Melanocyte%20Develop
ment%20and%20Pigmentation.jpg

Tyrosinase is synthesized in the RER, accumulated in GoC vesikel :

melanosom. Melanin synthesis in the melanosom II melanosom III
melanin granules.
Melanin granules migrates & transferred to the keratinocytes of the
malpighian layer.
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Melanocyte
Melanin granules
accumulate in the
supranuclear region
of the cytoplasm
protecting from
deleterious effects
of solar radiation.

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Langerhans Cells

Star-shaped
Location : stratum
spinosum
Bone marrow-derived
Important in immunologic skin
reaction :
Have cell-surface Fc and C3
Phagocytose and process foreign antigens
Migrate to lymph node and present
epitopes to T lymphocytes
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Merkels Cells

Generally in the thick

skin of palms and soles.
Resemble the epidermal
epithelial cells, with
small dense granules in cytoplasm.
Free nerve ending at the base
mechanoreceptor
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Immunologic Activity in the Skin
Its large size
Lymphocytes >>>
Antigen-presenting cells (APC)
Close contacts with antigenic molecules

Epidermis has an important role in some

types of immune response
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DERMIS
Dermis is connective tissue that
Support epidermis
Binds epidermis to hypodermis
The thickness : varies
The surface : irregular dermal
papillae >< epidermal ridges.
Contains 2 layers :
Papillary layer
Reticular layer

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Papillary Layer
Composed of :
Loose connective tissue
Fibroblasts
Other connective tissue cells : mast cells &
macrophages
Extravasated leukocytes
Anchoring fibrils (+) : special collagen
fibrils

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Reticular Layer
Composed of :
Irregular dense connective tissue (type I
collagen)
More fibers, fewer cells.
Contains a network of fibers of elastic
system responsible for the elasticity
of the skin. Thick section
of skin stained
for the fibers of
the elastic
fibers.
Weigerts stain

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DERMIS (cont)
Rich network of blood & lymph vessels.
Arteriovenous shunt temperature
regulation.
In addition, dermis contains : epidermal
derivatives :
Hair follicle
Sweat & sebaceous glands
Nerves

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Subcutaneous Tissue

Consists of loose connective tissue.

Contain fat cells that vary in number &
size.
Referred to superficial fascia , >>
panniculus adiposus
Not a part of the skin

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Skin & Lymphatic Vessels
The arterial vessels 2 plexuses :
between papillary reticular layer
between dermis subcutaneous tissue
The venous 3 plexuses :
Like arterial vessels + in the middle of the
dermis.
Lymphatic vessels : begin as closed
sacs in the papillae of dermis form
two plexuses.

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Skin Sensorial Receptors

Free nerve endings

The expanded :
Ruffini endings
The encapsulated :
Vater-Pacini
Meissner
Krause.

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Meissner corpuscle

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Paccinian corpuscle

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GLANDS OF THE SKIN
Sweat glands
Eccrine
Apocrine
Sebaceous glands
Mammary gland

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Sweat Gland
Ecrine (merocrine) Apocrine sweat
sweat gland gland

Found only in axilla, areola

Simple coiled tubular gland
nipple, anal region

Modified apocrine sweat glands

Throughout skin important in
ceruminous glands of ear,
regulation of body temperature
glands of moll in eyelids

Secretory unit dark cells & Larger than eccrine, lumen of

clear cells secretory tubulus is larger
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Sweat Gland

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Sebaceous Gland

Secrete sebum oily substance

Empty secretory product into the upper parts

of the hair follicles Not found in palms of
hand, soles of feet, sides of feet inferior of
hairline

Clinically the sebaceous glands are important

in that they are liable to infections (e.g. with
the development of acne)
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Sebaceous Gland

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 HAIRS
Develop from epidermis
Elongated keratinized
& invade the dermis &
structure
hypodermis

Hairs grow
Everywhere except
discontinously have
palms, sole, glans
periods of growth
penis, clitoris & labia
(anagen) followed by
minora
period of rest (telogen)

Hair in scalp, face &

In scalp : growth pubis strongly
period several years, influenced by
rest period 3 months androgens, adrenal &
thyroid hormones

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Hair follicle

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NAILS
Highly keratinized
epithelial cells arranged
in plates of hard keratin

Develop from nail

matrix nail root

Stratum corneum forms

eponychium or cuticle
nail plate

Nail plate on nail bed

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Histology of Nail

E=eponychium, H= hyponychium, N=nail plate,

DP=distal phalanx
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References
Junqueira, L.C. & Carneiro, J. Basic Histology, Text &
Atlas, 11th edition, Lange Medical Books McGraw-Hill.
2005
Gartner, L.P. & Hiatt, J.L. Colour Textbook of
Histology, Third Edition. 2007
Kierszenbaum AL. Histology & Cell Biology, An
Introduction to Pathology, 2nd ed. Mosby Elsevier.
2007
Pakurar AS, Bigbee JW. Digital Histology, an
interactive CD atlas with review text, Wiley-Liss, 2004
Berman I, Color Atlas of Basic Histology, Second
Edition, Lange, 1998.
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 Terima kasih.
Terima kasih

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