Histology of Skin

Alya Amila Fitrie, Radita NA Ginting

Department of Histology
Medical School, University of Sumatera Utara
2014
1

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.

Comparative thickness of the skin

Comparative thickness of the skin

Thick skin in acral

Thin skin in eyelid

5

Comparative features of thick

and thin skin

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.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Stratum corneum
Stratum lucidum
Stratum granulosum
Stratum spinosum
Stratum basale
(stratum
germinativum)

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.
9 every
Human epidermis is renewed about

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

10

Stratum spinosum (cont.)

Stratum spinosum of the thick skin from sole of the

foot. Pararosaniline-toluidine blue. Medium magnification
11

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
12

Stratum lusidum
Translucent, thin layer
of flattened eosinophilic
epidermal cells.
Organelles & nuclei (-)
Cytoplasm : densely packed
keratin filaments
Desmosom (+) between adjacent
cells
13

Stratum corneum

Cornified envelope lipids

Consists of 15-20 layers

of flattened nonnucleated 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
14

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 (-)

15

16

Melanogenesis

http://www.ambion.com/tools/pathway/loadImage.p
hp?pos=bl&im=images/Melanocyte
%20Development%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.
17

Melanocyte
Melanin granules
accumulate in the
supranuclear region
of the cytoplasm
protecting from
deleterious effects
of solar radiation.
18

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

19

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
20

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
21

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
22

Papillary Layer
Composed of :
Loose connective tissue
Fibroblasts
Other connective tissue cells : mast
cells & macrophages
Extravasated leukocytes

Anchoring fibrils (+) : special

collagen fibrils
23

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
24

DERMIS (cont)
Rich network of blood & lymph
vessels.
Arteriovenous shunt temperature
regulation.
In addition, dermis contains : epidermal
derivatives :
Hair follicle
Sweat & sebaceous glands
Nerves
25

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

26

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.
27

Skin Sensorial Receptors

Free nerve endings
The expanded :
Ruffini endings

The encapsulated :
Vater-Pacini
Meissner
Krause.
28

Meissner corpuscle

29

Paccinian corpuscle

30

GLANDS OF THE SKIN

Sweat glands
Eccrine
Apocrine

Sebaceous glands
Mammary gland

31

Sweat Gland
Ecrine
(merocrine)
sweat gland

Apocrine sweat
gland

Simple coiled tubular gland

Found only in axilla, areola

nipple, anal region

Throughout skin
important in regulation of
body temperature

Modified apocrine sweat

glands ceruminous
glands of ear, glands of
moll in eyelids

Secretory unit dark cells

& clear cells

Larger than eccrine, lumen

of secretory tubulus is
larger
32

Sweat Gland

33

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)
34

35

Sebaceous Gland

36

HAIRS
Elongated
keratinized structure

Develop from
epidermis & invade
the dermis &
hypodermis

Everywhere except
palms, sole, glans
penis, clitoris & labia
minora

Hairs grow
discontinously
have periods of
growth (anagen)
followed by period
of rest (telogen)

In scalp : growth
period several
years, rest period
3 months

Hair in scalp, face &

pubis strongly
influenced by
androgens, adrenal
& thyroid hormones
37

Hair follicle

38

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
39

Histology of Nail

E=eponychium, H= hyponychium, N=nail

plate, DP=distal phalanx
40

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, WileyLiss, 2004
Berman I, Color Atlas of Basic Histology,
Second Edition, Lange, 1998.
41

terima kasih

Terima kasih.

Terima kasih

42