The Epidermis Essay

Take a picture and insert it in the appropriate section below also record the total magnification needed to best view the object.

Epidermis, dermis and hypodermis

Hypodermis

Dermis

Epidermis

Magnification used: 40X

Different layers of the epidermis

Stratum spinosum

Stratum corneum

Stratum basale

Stratum granulosum

Stratum lucidum

Magnification used: 400X

Papillary dermis

Magnification used: 400X

Reticular dermis

Magnification used: 400X

Apocrine sweat gland

Magnification used: 400X

Merocrine sweat gland

Magnification used: 400X

Data table

Fill out the table according to the instruction listed in the lab manual.

Tissue type

Best magnification

Tissue comparison

What is specific about this tissue

Stratified Squanomous Epithelium

400X

Flattened and irregular-shaped cells that make up the continuous sheet.

Basement membrane

Electron microscopy (3000X)

Slack connective tissue linked to a small section of the epidermis’ matrix (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Stratum corneum

100X

Superficial layer of epidermis with fully-keratinized cells (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Stratum lucidum

100X

Located exclusively in thick skin its cells are accumulated together (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Stratum granulosum

100X

Most superficial nucleated keratinocyte layer of the epidermis with few layers of flat, nucleated cells that are filled with basophilic keratohyalin granules (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Stratum

spinosum

100X

Multiple layers of keratinocytes in the matrix

Stratum basale

100X

A layer of small columnar cells on the surface of imperceptible basement membrane (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Papillary dermis

40X

Outermost layer of dermis consisting of loosely packed collagen fibers (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Reticular dermis

40X

Thick lower layer of dermis with hefty collagen fibers (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Apocrine sweat gland

40X

Located exclusively to the regions of perineum as well as axillae (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Merocrine sweat gland

40X

Mostly located on the soles of a human feet and few in quantity on the back (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

Questions

1. Someone doing manual labor what would you see when looking at a section of the dermis of their hands?

A person doing manual labor presents calluses on the dermis of the hands since manual labor influences multiplication of keratinocyte that form a hard tissue.

2. A callus is a hardening of skin, which protein is very abundant here?

The protein that is usually abundant here is keratin.

3. What will happen if the sebaceous gland slows their function?

Our skin will loose moisture and as a result become not only very dry, but also flaky as this gland is responsible for secreating lubricating fluid (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009).

4. Why does hair look shinier when we are sweating a lot?

The shining of our hair when we are profusely sweating is as a result of sebum that is secreted by sebaceous glands (Muelhbauer & McGowan, 2009)

5. Skin grows from a particular layer, what is the name of this layer and what might happen if this layer gets damaged?

Skin originates from stratum basale. When this layer is damaged, the production of skin stops. Failure of production of skin as a result of damage of stratum basale impairs with the healing process of a wound as no skin is formed to replace the damaged tissue.

Reference

Muelhbauer, P. & McGowan, C. (2009). Site-Specific Cancer Series: Skin Cancer. New York:   Oncology Nursing Society.