Ch. 4 Structure and Function

Adipose

Fatty; relating to fat

Alopecia

Lack of hair in spots; baldness

Apocrine glands

Glands that appear during and after puberty and secrete sweat, as from the armpits

Ceruminous glands

Glands that secrete a waxy substance on the surface of the ear

Collagen

Major protein substance that is tough and flexible and that forms connective tissue in the body

Corium

See dermis

Cuticle

Thin band of epidermis that surrounds the base of nails, except at the top

Dermis

Layer of skin beneath the epidermis; contains blood vessels, nerves, and some glands

Diaphoresis

Excretion of fluid by the sweat glands; sweating

Eccrine glands

Sweat glands that occur all over the body, except where the apocrine glands occur

Epidermis

Outer portion of the skin containing several strata

Exocrine glands

Glands that secrete through ducts toward the outside of the body

Hair follicle

Tube-like sac in the dermis out of which the hair shaft develops

Hair root

Portion of the hair beneath the skin surface

Hair shaft

Portion of the hair visible above the skin surface

Hypodermis

Subcutaneous skin layer; layer below the dermis

Integument

Skin and all the elements that are contained within and arise from it

Keratin

Hard, horny protein that forms nails and hair

Lunula

Half-moon–shaped area at the base of the nail plate

Melanin

Pigment produced by melanocytes that determines skin, hair, and eye color

Melanocyte

Cell in the epidermis that produces melanin

Nail

Thin layer of keratin that covers the distal portion of fingers and toes

Papillary layer

Thin sublayer of the dermis containing small papillae (nipple-like masses)

Pore

Opening or hole, particularly in the skin

Reticular layer

Bottom sublayer of the dermis containing reticula (network of structures with connective tissue between)

Sebaceous glands

Glands in the dermis that open to hair follicles and secrete sebum

Sebum

Oily substance, usually secreted into the hair follicle

Squamous epithelium

Flat, scaly layer of cells that makes up the epidermis

Stratified squamous epithelium

Layers of epithelial cells that make up the strata of epithelium of the epidermis

Stratum

Layer of tissue, especially a layer of the skin

Stratum corneum

Top sublayer of the epidermis

Stratum germinativum

Bottom sublayer of the epidermis

Striae

Stretch marks made in the collagen fibers of the dermis layer

Subcutaneous layer

Bottom layer of the skin containing fatty tissue

Sweat glands

Coiled glands of the skin that secrete perspiration to regulate body temperature and excrete waste products