What is the human skin made of?

(bio)

What is the human skin made of?
(m)





what is skin?


Skin is a miracle garment. It's soft, pliable, strong, waterproof, and self-repairing.





What would you be like without skin?


The answer is, quite simply, a big squishy mess! Your skin is like a very large container. It's the largest organ of your body, and without it, all your delicate insides would spill right out.





Skin doesn't just cover you!


Your skin doesn't just cover you. It does a whole lot more. It functions as protective wrapping. Along with a layer of fat underneath, it insulates you against all kinds of bumps, bangs and wear and tear. It keeps germs and water OUT (unless you have a break in your skin) and keeps your body's fluids and salts IN.


Skin manufactures and oozes out all sorts of wonderful liquids. Waxes and oils act as your body's natural waterproofer and a protector against germs. They make your skin softer; but they can also give you pimples. Your skin also contains glands which manufacture sweat. With sweat, not only does your body get cooled by its evaporation, but it has a convenient way to get rid of chemicals it doesn't need.





How does it do all this?


Skin is alive. It's made of many thin sheets of layers of flat, stacked cells in which you'll find nerves, blood vessels, hair follicles, glands, and sensory receptors.


Older cells are constantly being pushed to the surface by new cells which grow from below. When the old ones reach the top, they become wider and flatter as they get rubbed and worn by all your activity. And, sooner or later, they end up popping off like tiles blown from a roof in a strong wind. In fact, every minute 30,000-40,000 dead skin cells fall from your body! In approximately a month's time, your body has made a whole new layer of skin cells!





Ever wonder what makes different skin colors?


A pigment called melanin. More melanin in your skin cells makes your skin darker, less makes it lighter. Sitting in the sun can also cause more melanin to be manufactured in your skin cells. The result? A suntan.





FACTOIDS:


As an adult, you may have more than 20 square feet of skin -- about the size of a blanket.


You are likely to shed some 40 pounds of skin in a lifetime.


Right now there are over a million dust mites, microscopic critters invisible to the naked eye, on your mattress and pillow, chomping on the dead skin cells that fell off you last night!
Reply:keratin layer with underlaying epithelium


Skin is composed of three primary layers: the epidermis, which provides waterproofing and serves as a barrier to infection; the dermis, which serves as a location for the appendages of skin; and the hypodermis (subcutaneous adipose layer), which is called the basement membrane





for more info visit .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin#Layers
Reply:human skin is made of chamdi
Reply:human skin cells
Reply:endodermis,epidermis,cuticles,tissues,ce...
Reply:Skin is composed of three primary layers: the epidermis, which provides waterproofing and serves as a barrier to infection; the dermis, which serves as a location for the appendages of skin; and the hypodermis (subcutaneous adipose layer), which is called the basement membrane.





Epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. It forms the waterproof, protective wrap over the body's surface and is made up of stratified squamous epithelium with an underlying basal lamina.





The outermost epidermis consists of stratified squamous epithelium with an underlying connective tissue section, or dermis, and a hypodermis, or basement membrane. The epidermis contains no blood vessels, and cells in the deepest layers are nourished by diffusion from blood capillaries extending to the upper layers of the dermis. The main type of cells which make up the epidermis are keratinocytes, with melanocytes and Langerhans cells also present. The epidermis can be further subdivided into the following strata (beginning with the outermost layer): corneum, lucidum(only in feet), granulosum, spinosum, basale. Cells are formed through mitosis at the basale layer. The daughter cells, (see cell division) move up the strata changing shape and composition as they die due to isolation from their blood source. The cytoplasm is released and the protein keratin is inserted. They eventually reach the corneum and slough off (desquamation). This process is called keratinization and takes place within about 30 days. This keratinized layer of skin is responsible for keeping water in the body and keeping other harmful chemicals and pathogens out, making skin a natural barrier to infection.





Epidermis is divided into several layers where cells are formed through mitosis at the innermost layers. They move up the strata changing shape and composition as they differentiate and become filled with keratin. They eventually reach the top layer called stratum corneum and become sloughed off, or desquamated. This process is called keratinization and takes place within weeks. The outermost layer of Epidermis consists of 25 to 30 layers of dead cells.





Epidermis is divided into the following 5 sublayers or strata:





Stratum corneum


Stratum lucidum


Stratum granulosum


Stratum spinosum


Stratum germinativum (also called "stratum basale")





Mnemonics that are good for remembering the layers of the skin (using "stratum basale" instead of "stratum germinativum"):





"Corn Lovers Grow Several Bales" (from superficial to deep)


"Cher Likes Getting Skin Botoxed" (from superficial to deep)


"Before signing, get legal counsel" (from deep to superficial)





Blood capillaries are found beneath the epidermis, and are linked to an arteriole and a venule. Arterial shunt vessels may bypass the network in ears, the nose and fingertips.





The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many nerve endings that provide the sense of touch and heat. It contains the hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands and blood vessels. The blood vessels in the dermis provide nourishment and waste removal to its own cells as well as the Stratum basale of the epidermis.





The hypodermis is not part of the skin, and lies below the dermis. Its purpose is to attach the skin to underlying bone and muscle as well as supplying it with blood vessels and nerves. It consists of loose connective tissue and elastin. The main cell types are fibroblasts, macrophages and adipocytes (the hypodermis contains 50% of body fat). Fat serves as padding and insulation for the body.
Reply:Skin is composed of three primary layers: the epidermis, which provides waterproofing and serves as a barrier to infection; the dermis, which serves as a location for the appendages of skin; and the hypodermis (subcutaneous adipose layer), which is called the basement membrane.
Reply:Epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. It forms the waterproof, protective wrap over the body's surface and is made up of stratified squamous epithelium with an underlying basal lamina. It contains no blood vessels, and is nourished


by diffusion from the dermis. The main type of cells which make up the epidermis are keratinocytes, melanocytes, Langerhans cells and Merkels cells





Epidermis is divided into several layers where cells are formed through mitosis at the innermost layers. They move up the strata changing shape and composition as they differentiate and become filled with keratin. They eventually reach the top layer called stratum corneum and become sloughed off, or desquamated. This process is called keratinization and takes place within weeks. The outermost layer of Epidermis consists of 25 to 30 layers of dead cells.





Epidermis is divided into the following 5 sublayers or strata:





* Stratum corneum


* Stratum lucidum


* Stratum granulosum


* Stratum spinosum


* Stratum germinativum (also called "stratum basale")





Consider These facts:


1. An adult's skin comprises between 15 and 20 % of the total body weight.


2 . Each square centimeter has 6 million cells, 5,000 sensory points, 100 sweat glands and 15 sebaceous glands.
Reply:cells
Reply:Skin is a compound organ derived from two germ layers: ectoderm and mesoderm. Hence skin is called ectomesodermal. Ectoderm gives rise to epidermis. Mesoderm gives rise to dermis.


Epidermis has four layers of cells: stratum corneum, stratum lucidum, stratum granulsum and stratum Malpighi.


Epidermal derivatives are glands( sebaceous and sudorific), and hairs. Epidermis has mostly epithelial cells.


Dermis is mostly composed of connective tissue.Epidermal derivatives are sunk into the dermis.


Below the dermis lies adipose tissue.


Leather is dermis.