Skin

Objectives
Skin
Identify in tissue sections, describe histologic
features, and know functions of:
• Epidermis, dermis, subcutis
• Attachment plaques
Desmosomes, hemidesmosomes
• Skin appendages
Hair, sebaceous glands, sweat glands
• Accessory cells
Melanocytes, Langerhans cells
Introduction

The skin is a sizable, somewhat elastic organ that

has multiple vital functions. It protects underlying
tissues, receives sensory stimulation from the
environment, regulates body temperature, prevents
water loss, and has some metabolic functions (e.g.
vitamin D synthesis).

Skin is composed of several layers: the outer

epidermis, the supporting dermis, and the
underlying subcutis.
 Major components of skin
Epidermis

Dermis

Subcutis
Dermal collagen

Subcutaneous fat
 Layers of the epidermis
• Stratum corneum or keratin layer
• Stratum granulosum or granular layer
• Stratum spinosum or prickle layer
• Stratum basale or basal layer
Layers of the epidermis C
Key

C. Stratum corneum
(keratin layer)

G. Stratum granulosum
(granular layer)
G
S. Stratum spinosum
(spinous or prickle layer)

B. Stratum basale S
(basal layer)

B
Dermis
 Skin of heel

Keratin layer
 Thin skin
Note compaction of skin layers and pigmented basal keratinocytes.
Skin of eyelid
Prickle cell layer
Plastic section showing
intercellular bridges
(arrows).
N
N
Nuclei (N) represented
by clear oval with purple
nucleolus.

N
 Keratohyaline granules

The granular layer is

characterized by Keratin
basophilic granules
(arrows) that are part of
the process of
orthokeratinization. These
granules are not seen in
parakeratinized epithelium
(oral mucosa).
Granular layer

Prickle cell layer

 Ultrastructure of epidermis

Key
I
N. Nucleus
I. Intercellular bridges
T. Tonofilaments
 Clinical correlation
Keratinocytes (squamous cells) that have undergone malignant
change result in as squamous cell carcinoma.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the lip

 Clinical correlation
Can you guess what a malignant proliferation of basal keratinocytes is called?
Basal cell carcinoma

Both squamous cell

carcinoma and basal
cell carcinoma are
common skin
cancers.
 Keratinocyte attachment plaques
Desmosomes & hemidesmosomes
Desmosome

Basal keratinocytes

Hemidesmosome Lamina lucida

Basement
Lamina densa membrane

Papillary dermis
Ultrastructure of desmosomal junctions

Key D
T

D. Desmosomes
T. Tonofilaments T D
Clinical correlation
Epithelial separation
In a disease known as
pemphigus, weakened
desmosomes lead to Papillary dermis
separation of keratinocytes
resulting in blisters and
Skin ulcer
ulcers. Either skin and/or oral
mucosa may be affected.
 Ultrastructure of epithelial-connective tissue interface

Key

A. Anchoring filaments
C. Collagen
D. Lamina densa
F. Fibrils
L. Lamina lucida
HD. hemidesmosome
General skin functions
• Protection
• Sensory reception
• Thermoregulation
• Metabolism
 Other cells in the epithelium

Melanocyte

Note:
1. Cytoplasm does not stain with H & E
2. Melanin is seen between basal keratinocytes
 Keratinocyte

Melanin
granules

Melanocyte

Basement
membrane
Melanocyte-Keratinocyte Unit
Melanin granules (melanosomes) are transferred to keratinocytes
 M
P

Electron micrograph
Melanosomes (M) and premelanosomes (P) in melanocyte
Melanocyte function
Produces melanin pigment that protects keratinocyte
nuclei from UV light.
 Clinical correlation
Lentigines are common hyperpigmented spots caused by UV light and ageing. They
are commonly known as liver spots or age spots.
 Clinical correlation
The opposite effect (patches due to loss of pigment) is known as vitiligo
 Other cells in the epithelium

Langerhans cells are

dendritic cells found
midway in the epithelium
between keratinocytes.
Only the nuclei of these
cells stain in H & E
sections (arrows).

Note lymphocytes (L)

between parabasal
keratinocytes L L
Langerhans cells

Basement membrane

Pre-Langerhans cells
 Langerhans cells
Immunohistochemical stain for CD1a antigen. Note the dendritic
processes.
Electron micrograph of Langerhans cell cytoplasm
Note Langerhans cell (Birbeck) granules (arrows)
 Langerhans cell function
• Antigen processing and presentation.
Important immune defense cell.
• These cells are stimulated in contact
hypersensitivity reactions.
 Skin appendages
Hair
Modified keratin produced by the matrix cells of
hair follicles. Hair serves a protective function.
Sebaceous glands
Glands, typically associated with hair that secrete
sebum for lubrication.
Sweat glands
Coiled tubular glands whose secretion helps
regulate body temperature.
Nails
Keratinized epithelial cells forming plates of hard
keratin. Growth occurs from the nail matrix, part of
which can be seen as the lunula (white crescent).
 Epidermis

Skin appendages

Dermis

Sweat ducts

Hair bulb

Sweat glands
 Hair (medulla, cortex, cuticle)
Layers of the hair follicle

Root
sheath

External root sheath

Internal root sheath

 Hair cycle
• Stages
Anagen (growth stage)
Catagen (involution/degeneration)
Telogen (resting stage)
• Longer anagen = > hair length
• Catagen = apoptosis of follicle base to
level of arrector pili
• No hair growth in telogen stage
• Hair shed in telogen stage
 The hair cycle

Hair shaft

Epidermis

Root sheath

Arrector pili

Dermal papilla

Anagen Catagen Telogen

(Hair growth) (Involution) (Resting)
 Sebaceous gland

Hair shaft
Root sheath

Arrector pili muscle

Hair bulb

Dermal papilla
A
 Arrector pili muscle

Hair shaft
External root sheath

Internal root sheath

B
 Hair bulb

Dermal papilla

C
D
Shrinkage space

Shrinkage space
Hair shaft

Sebaceous gland
Sweat gland duct (2 cell layers)

Sweat gland coil (single layer)

Sweat gland coil
Self assessment
What is the primary function of this gland?

Thermoregulation
 Identify the layers of normal skin

Epidermis

Papillary dermis

Reticular dermis

Subcutis
What are these organelles and in what cells are they typically seen?
Birbeck or Langerhans granules are found in Langerhans cells
What is this organelle and in what cell is it typically seen?
This is a premelanosome produced by melanocytes (mature melanosomes are
transferred into keratinocytes)
Matching

Skin of face
Hair follicle
Thin epidermis

Skin sole of foot

Thick keratin
Well developed rete ridges
Name these structures

Sebaceous glands
 Vermilion

This a section of lip

Identify the following:

Skin side Skin

Orb
Mucosal side

ic
Vermilion

ula
Orbicularis oris muscle Mucosa

ris
Pilosebaceous unit

oris
Salivary gland

mu
scl e
Salivary gland

Pilosebaceous unit
 Name the layers of the epidermis

Stratum corneum
Keratin layer

Stratum granulosum
Granular layer

Stratum spinosum
Prickle cell layer

Stratum basale
Basal layer
End