Chapter 8
Skin structure
Anthony Barker,
Anthony Barker
NSW Rotation Plastic Surgery Registrar, Sydney, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorAnthony Barker,
Anthony Barker
NSW Rotation Plastic Surgery Registrar, Sydney, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorBook Editor(s):Ross D. Farhadieh BSc(Med)Hons, MBBS, MD, EBOPRASF, FRACS(Plast), FRCS(Plast),
Neil W. Bulstrode BSc(Med)Hons, MBBS, MD, FRCS(Plast),
Sabrina Cugno MD, MSc, FRCSC,
Ross D. Farhadieh BSc(Med)Hons, MBBS, MD, EBOPRASF, FRACS(Plast), FRCS(Plast)
Panthea Plastic Surgery Clinics, Sydney and Canberra, Australia and Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorNeil W. Bulstrode BSc(Med)Hons, MBBS, MD, FRCS(Plast)
Clinical Lead Plastic Surgery
Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK
Search for more papers by this authorSabrina Cugno MD, MSc, FRCSC
Assistant Professor
McGill University, Department of Plastic Surgery, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 27 March 2015
Summary
This chapter outlines the structure of the skin and the clinical significance of this structure. The skin is the largest organ in the body and has the essential role of providing barrier protection to the host. The four-layer structure of the epidermis (stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum and stratum corneum) and the two-layer dermis (papillary dermis and reticular dermis), in addition to the skin appendages make up the components of skin. The complex signalling that triggers the formation of the protective outer stratum corneum in the embryo and adult is addressed. Clinically, connective tissue diseases of the dermis and epidermis illustrate how breakdown of skin components can result in significant morbidity for the patient. Novel cures for these diseases await through protein, cell or stem cell transfer.
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