INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM THE DERMIS C L G S B
THE DERMIS Dense irregular connective tissue Collagen and elastic fibers As we age – number of fibers decrease VASCULAR – blood vessels help to maintain body temperature Special structures of DERMIS: nerves, sebaceous (oil) glands, sudoriferous (sweat) glands, blood vessels, hair follicles, etc.
2 LAYERS OF THE DERMIS: PAPILLARY LAYER RETICULAR LAYER Areolar tissue PAPILLAE are projections into the epidermis that create fingerprints Pain and touch receptors RETICULAR LAYER Dense irregular tissue Contains blood vessels and glands
Inside the dermal papillae: Blood capillaries and Meissner corpuscles Meissner corpuscles are nerve endings in this layer of the dermis that are mechanoreceptors (sensory receptors that respond to pressure for sense of touch)
Nerve endings: There are also nerve endings in the dermal papillae that are sensitive to: hot, cold = thermoreceptors pain, itch, pressure etc.
Sensation of Touch: Merkel cells in the stratum basale that are in contact with sensory neurons are also function in recognition of touch