Skin Function
What is skin?
Skin is the outer covering of vertebrate animals. It is the largest organ of the body and has many different functions. In other animals skin sometimes has mucous producing glands, the ability to change colour, thick fur, scales feathers or horns.
Skin is very important as it covers and protects everything inside your body. Without skin, your bones, muscles and organs would be hanging out all over the place! Skin holds everything together. It also protects our bodies, helps keep our bodies at just the right temperature and, through nerve endings close to the surface of the skin, allows us to have the sense of touch.
However skin can become infected with bacteria, viruses and fungi, and can be irritated by chemicals or other substances it is in contact with.
Function of the skin
Protecting the body against trauma
Regulating body temperature
Maintaining water and electrolyte balance
Sensing painful and pleasant stimuli
Participating in vitamin D synthesis
Structure of the skin
Layers of the skin
The skin has three layers:
The epidermis is composed of the outermost layers of the skin. It forms a protective barrier over the body's surface, responsible for keeping water in the body and preventing pathogens .
The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis provides tensile strength and elasticity to the skin through an extracellular matrix.
The subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis) is not part of the skin, and lies below the dermis. Its purpose is to attach the skin to underlying bone and muscle as well as supplying it with blood vessels and nerves. It consists of loose connective tissue and elastin. (the subcutaneous tissue contains 50% of body fat). Fat serves as padding and insulation for the body.
