Introduction

A layer of skin covers the body, and is the major external barrier between the outside world and the body. It has important protective functions, and is constantly renewing itself. After covering this topic you will appreciate how skin renews and repairs itself, and the structure and functions of skin, hair, epithelial glands and nails.

Objectives

By the time you have completed this topic you should know

1. The names of the three different layers of skin and their principal tissue components.
2. The different functions of skin and the ways in which it is modified to perform these over different parts of the body.
3. How skin becomes pigmented, and the function of this pigmentation.
4. The structure and function of the epidermis, and of its derivatives - glands, hair and nails.
5. The components and functions of the dermis and hypodermis.