Layers and Tissues
This is the specific type of tissue that makes up the many thin layers of the outermost epidermis
Epithelial tissue.
This protein provides skin with its characteristic strength and flexibility and is heavily involved in forming the tough fibers of scars when the skin heals.
Collagen.
This is the tube-like structure within the dermis where hair grows from, often referred to as a "pore."
Hair follicle.
This is the scientific term for disease-causing organisms or germs that the skin acts as a physical barrier against.
Pathogens.
What is the main function of the epidermis: to produce new skin cells and provide the body's primary waterproof shield?
Protection or barrier function.
This middle layer of skin is primarily composed of connective tissue containing nerves, glands, and blood vessels.
Dermis.
This tough, fibrous protein is the primary component of hair, nails, and the waterproof outer layer of the skin.
Keratin
This dermal structure is responsible for producing the oily substance known as sebum.
Oil glands (or sebaceous glands).
This is the general biological concept of the body maintaining a stable internal temperature, which the skin helps control by sweating or forming goosebumps.
Homeostasis.
What is the scientific term for the oil produced by sebaceous glands that keeps skin and hair soft and waterproof?
Sebum.
This is the deepest layer, located beneath the dermis, whose primary function is insulation due to its high concentration of fat tissue.
Subcutaneous layer (or Hypodermis).
What is the primary method by which the protein melanin protects deeper tissues from sun damage?
By absorbing and scattering UV rays.
What is the specific muscle fiber that attaches to a hair follicle and contracts to cause goosebumps to warm the body?
Arrector pili muscle.
Besides providing protection from UV rays, hair helps perform this function by trapping air close to the body.
Insulation or warming the body.
What four letters are commonly used in a medical rule to check moles for signs of potential skin cancer and what do they stand for?
A(asymmetry) B(board) C(color) D(diameter)
This is the only layer of the skin that contains the small structures responsible for sensing heat, cold, and pressure.
Dermis.
This protein's function relates to color, and its type and amount determine the specific shade of a person's hair and skin.
Melanin.
These tiny structures in the dermis remove waste, cool the body, and are important for temperature regulation through evaporation.
Sweat glands.
Skin cancer occurs when UV rays damage this critical genetic material within skin cells.
DNA.
What is the role of the blood vessels in the skin, besides providing nutrients, that is essential for regulating body temperature?
Releasing heat (vasodilation) or conserving heat (vasoconstriction).
This specific layer of the skin is where melanin is produced before being transferred to other cells.
The basal layer of the epidermis.
What are the three key structural and color proteins found in the integumentary system?
Keratin, Collagen, and Melanin.
What is the specific part of the nail, located under the skin, where living cells produce new nail growth?
Nail root
What common skin disorder is caused when hormones cause oil glands to produce too much sebum, leading to clogged pores?
Acne.
What is the general term for the process where a protein like collagen forms a fibrous mesh to replace severely damaged skin tissue, resulting in a visible mark?
Scar formation (or scarring).