Skin Biology and Structure
- [University of Pennsylvania]
- Overview
The skin is the largest organ in the human body and is composed of water, protein, fat and minerals. Your skin protects your body from bacteria and regulates your body temperature. Nerves in the skin help you sense sensations such as heat and cold.
Your skin, along with hair, nails, oil glands, and sweat glands are all part of the in-TEG-you-MEINT-a-ree system. "Integument" means the outer shell of the body.
As the largest organ in the body, the skin defends against bacteria, regulates body temperature and creates the sense of touch. The main layers of the skin, including the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, are prone to many problems, including skin cancer, acne, wrinkles, and rashes.
[More to come ...]
