Features and Functions
This is the body’s largest organ and acts as a protective barrier.
What is the skin?
This outermost layer of skin contains mostly dead keratinized cells.
What is the epidermis?
This process increases blood flow near the skin surface to release heat.
What is vasodilation?
These sensory cells are responsible for detecting light touch.
What are Merkel cells?
This layer of skin is avascular, meaning it contains no blood vessels.
What is the epidermis?
these are the three main layers of the skin
epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.
This deeper layer of skin contains blood vessels, nerves, and glands.
What is the dermis?
This process decreases blood flow near the skin surface to conserve heat.
What is vasoconstriction?
This layer beneath the dermis stores fat and helps insulate the body.
What is the hypodermis
This pigment determines much of a person’s skin color and helps protect against UV radiation.
What is melanin?
This function of the skin prevents pathogens and harmful substances from entering the body.
What is protection?
These cells produce melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color.
What are melanocytes?
This part of the brain controls body temperature.
What is the hypothalamus?
This skin appendage is made of dead keratinized cells and grows from follicles.
What is hair?
This protein is the primary structural component found in hair and nails.
What is keratin?
These glands release sweat to help cool the body.
What are sweat glands (sudoriferous glands)?
These cells form the majority of the epidermis and produce keratin.
What are keratinocytes?
When body temperature rises, the hypothalamus activates these two responses.
What are sweating and vasodilation?
This layer of the epidermis contains actively dividing cells.
What is the stratum basale?
This layer of the epidermis is found only in thick skin such as the palms and soles.
What is the stratum lucidum?
This fibre gives skin strength and structure.
What is collagen?
These immune cells in the epidermis help defend against pathogens.
What are Langerhans cells?
This term describes the body’s ability to maintain a stable internal environment.
What is homeostasis?