Week 7 – Discussion Board 1

[Art Liebl]

In at least 250 words talk about the  layers of skin and function of each one initial post due by Thursday Respond to two fellow students by Monday.

[Cristina Restrepo]

The skin is the body’s largest organ, made of water, protein, fats and minerals. The skin protects your body from germs and regulates body temperature. Nerves in the skin help you feel sensations like hot and cold. The skin, along with hair, nails, oil glands and sweat glands, is part of the integumentary system, which means outer covering.

The skin is composed of three layers: the epidermis which is the outer layer, the dermis which is the middle layer and the hypodermis which is the bottom or fatty layer. The epidermis, as said before, is the top layer of the skin; the one you can see and touch. It is mostly made up of Keratin, a protein inside skin cells, along with other proteins that come together to form this layer. The epidermis acts as a protective barrier keeping bacteria and other microorganisms from entering the bloodstream and causing infections. This is done by the presence of Langerhan cells which are part of the immune system and help fight off pathogenic microorganisms. It also protects against other elements such as the rain and the sun. Other functions of the epidermis are to make new skin cells and to give skin its color with the presence of the pigment melanin.

The dermis, which is the middle layer, makes up to 90% of skin’s thickness. The dermis contains collagen which is a protein that makes skin cells strong and resilient. It also contains elastin which keeps skin flexible and helps stretched skin regain its shape. It is also in charged of growing hair as the roots of hair follicles attach to the dermis. Another function of the dermis is to produce oils that help the skin feel smooth and soft as well as producing sweat to regulate body temperature. Nerve receptors in the dermis help you feel pain, and determine if something is soft, itchy, hot or cold. It also supplies blood to the epidermis keeping the skin layers healthy.

Now the hypodermis, which is the bottom of fatty layer of the skin, functions to cushion muscles and bones when you fall or are in an accident. It also has connective tissue that connects layers of skin to muscles and bones. Nerves and blood vessels in the hypodermis extend to connect the hypodermis to the rest of the body. Lastly, it regulates body temperature as fat in the hypodermis acts as an insulator to prevent the body from becoming too cold or hot.

[Lesly Betancur]

Hi Cristina, thanks for the clear explanation of the skin and its layers. As medical interpreters, it’s helpful to understand terms like keratin, melanin, and collagen, as well as the roles each skin layer plays—from protection to temperature regulation and sensation. This knowledge helps us interpret more accurately and explain medical concepts clearly to patients.

[Leonisa Avelino]

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and consists of three main layers: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis (also known as the subcutaneous Tissue ). Each layer plays an essential role in protecting the body and maintaining overall health.

The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. It acts as a protective barrier against environmental hazards like bacteria, UV rays, and harmful chemicals. This layer is made up mostly of keratinocytes, which produce keratin, a protein that strengthens the skin. The outermost part of the epidermis, called the stratum corneum, is made of dead skin cells that continuously shed and renew. Melanocytes, also found in the epidermis, produce melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color and UV protection.

Beneath the epidermis is the dermis, a thicker layer that provides structural support and elasticity. It contains collagen and elastin fibers, sweat glands, sebaceous (oil) glands, blood vessels, lymph vessels, and nerve endings. The dermis is responsible for sensations like touch, pain, and temperature. It also helps regulate body temperature through sweat and blood flow. Hair follicles originate in the dermis as well.

The deepest layer is the hypodermis, or subcutaneous tissue. This layer is made up of fat and connective tissue that cushions the body, insulates it from cold, and serves as an energy reserve. It also anchors the skin to the muscles and bones beneath.

Together, these three layers work as a protective shield, help regulate temperature, enable sensation, and contribute to immune defense and overall skin health.

[Milleny Arantess]

Hi Leonisa
You explained it all so well and clearly! Thank you!

[Lesly Betancur]

Covering the entire human body, the skin is our largest and most visible organ that plays a vital role in protection, sensation, temperature regulation, and more. It is composed of three main layers: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis (also known as the subcutaneous layer). Each layer has specific functions that are crucial to overall health.

The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. It is made primarily of keratinocytes, which produce keratin, a protein that provides strength and waterproofing. The epidermis serves as the body’s first line of defense against environmental threats such as bacteria, viruses, and harmful UV rays. It also helps prevent water loss from the body. This layer contains melanocytes, which produce melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color and protection from UV radiation. The epidermis does not have blood vessels, instead it receives nutrients from the layers below.

Directly under the epidermis is the dermis, a thicker layer that gives the skin its strength and flexibility. It is composed of connective tissue, blood vessels, nerve endings, hair follicles, and sweat and sebaceous (oil) glands. The dermis is responsible for the skin’s sensation, such as touch, pain, and temperature, thanks to its rich supply of nerve endings. It also plays a role in thermoregulation through sweat glands and blood flow control.

The deepest layer is the hypodermis or subcutaneous layer. This layer consists mostly of fat and connective tissue, which cushion internal organs, insulate the body, and provide an energy reserve. The hypodermis also helps anchor the skin to the muscles and bones underneath.

Understanding these layers and their functions is essential in healthcare settings, especially for medical interpreters, as it helps explain skin-related conditions and treatments accurately to patients.

[Milleny Arantess]

Hi Lesly

You explained the different layers so well. I find it fascinating how our skin has three different layers, yet they all work together seamlessly.

[Cristina Restrepo]

I agree with you Milleny, it is truly amazing how perfectly our body works and how everything is there for a reason and with a purpose.

[Yona Souza]

lesly, I like how you connected the subject to the medical interpretation field, since understanding such layers allow us to also understand medical conditions related to the skin.

[Joseph Matthews]

The human body’s largest organ, covering an area of about 18 sq. ft., is the integumentary system which chief component is the skin but also includes hair, nails, glands and nerve receptors. The skin serves as a critical barrier between the body’s internal organs and the external environment. It is composed primarily of three key layers what are the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis (or the subcutaneous layer). Each layer has its distinct structures and functions which are essential to maintaining overall health. Herewith a breakdown of the three:
Layer 1 – The Epidermis:
This is this outermost layer, only about 0.1 millimeter thick, and is primarily made up of keratinized stratified squamous cells that provide a waterproof barrier and is responsible for creating new skin cells. It contains melanocytes, that produce melanin, which is the dark pigment that gives the skin its color. The epidermis also plays a key role in the body’s immune defense by fighting antigens (i.e., foreign bodies) from entering the body. This layer is avascular, meaning it lacks blood vessels, and receives its nutrients via diffusion from the underlying dermis.
Layer 2 – The Dermis:
This middle layer lies immediately beneath the epidermis. The dermis is a thicker layer which is composed of connective tissues that provide structural support and elasticity. It contains blood vessels, lymph vessels, hair follicles, sweat glands, oil glands and nerve endings. The dermis is also responsible for thermoregulation, sensation, and nutrient delivery to the epidermis. The dermis itself is divided into two key sub-layers: (1) the papillary layer, which contains capillaries and sensory neurons, and (2) the reticular layer, which contains collagen and elastin fibers that give the skin strength, flexibility and helps ward off wrinkling and sagging.
Layer 3 – The Hypodermis:
This is the deepest layer which consists mainly of adipose (fat) tissue and connective tissue. This layer acts as insulation, helping to regulate body temperature as well as cushion internal organs against trauma. The hypodermis also stores excess energy, in the form of fat, and aids in the attachment of the skin to underlying structures such as muscles and bones.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Hi Joseph,
Your writing was really informative and well-organized! I especially liked the way you explained the dermis layer. The breakdown into the papillary and reticular layers made it easier to understand how the skin stays strong and flexible. I also appreciated how you mentioned the different structures like hair follicles, sweat glands, and nerve endings. That part really helped me see how important the dermis is in protecting and supporting the skin. Great job!

[Cristina Restrepo]

Joseph, great job explaining each of the layers that compose the skin. The format you chose to present the information was very simple to understand.

[Joseph Matthews]

Cristina – in your text, you pointed out two additional (and interesting) characteristics pertaining to the dermis which I did not pick up in my research, namely:
(1) It composes 90% of the thickness of all three layers. As per the diagram in the manual – I did not think it was that much but your statistic clarified that doubt.
(2) It also plays a key role in maintaining the smooth texture of the epidermis above.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Joseph, I’m glad you found those details I shared interesting and helpful when it comes to visualizing medical concepts; in this case the skin. I really like these discussion boards for that reason, it allows us to see different points of view and share different information with each other.

[Joseph Matthews]

Leonisa – I liked the way that you succinctly concluded your text in one well-drated informative sentence – once again – placing emphasis on conveying the message with focus on being concise.

[Milleny Arantess]

The three layers of skin include the epidermis which is the top layer, the dermis which is the middle layer, and the hypodermis which is the bottom and fatty layer.

The epidermis is the layer of skin that we see and can touch. It is made out of keratin, a protein inside the skin cells, and other proteins.

The epidermis:
Acts as a protective barrier: it keeps bacteria and germs from entering our body. It also protects you from the rain, sun, and other elements

Makes new skin: it is continually making new skin cells that replace about 40,000 old skin cells that our bodies shed every day

Protects our bodies: their are cells called the langerhans and they are part of the immune system

Provides skin color: the epidermis contains melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives your skin, hair, and eyes its color

The dermis makes up 90% of the skin’s thickness
The dermis:

Has collagen and elastin: collagen is a protein that makes skin cells strong and resilient. Elastion is a protein that keeps skin flexible and helps stretched skin regain its shape

Grows hair: our roots of hair follicles attach to the dermis

Keeps us in touch: has sensory nerves that tells us when something is too hot, cold, itchy, painful, soft, hard, etc.

Makes oil: oil glands in the dermis help keep the skin soft and smooth. It also prevents your skin from absorbing too much water

Produce sweat: sweat glands releases sweat through skin pores

Supplies blood: blood vessels in the dermis provides nutrients to the epidermis which keeps the skin layer healthy

The hypodermis is the fatty layer.

The hypodermis:

Cushions muscles and bones: fat in the hypodermis protects muscles and bones from injuries when you fall or are in an accident

Has connective tissue: this tissue connects layers of skin to muscles and bones

Helps the nerves and blood vessels: nerves and blood vessels in the dermis get larger in the hypodermis. The nerves and vessels branch out from the
hypodermis and connects it to the rest of the body

Regulates body temperature: the fat in the hypodermis keeps you from getting too hot or cold

[Leonisa Avelino]

Hi Milleny,
You did a great job explaining the three layers of the skin in a clear and organized way. liked how you included specific proteins like collagen and elastin and explained their roles. Your writing helped me understand how each layer works and why they’re important. Great work!

[Lesly Betancur]

Milleny, great detailed breakdown of the skin layers. It’s helpful to see how each layer—from the protective epidermis to the supportive dermis and insulating hypodermis—has its own vital functions. This information is especially useful for us as medical interpreters to better understand and explain dermatological terms to patients.

[Yona Souza]

Milleny, great breakdown of the functions and characteristics of each skin layer!

[Yona Souza]

The skin is the largest organ in the entire body, and there are three main layers. It’s extremely important to learn and differentiate their function to better address the patient and provider during an encounter.

Epidermis: This is the outermost layer of our body, the one we see with the naked eye. It acts as the body’s shield, since it’s the outermost layer for protection and defense against viruses, bacteria, and UV radiation. The epidermis is also very selective about what enters the body, since it would be very detrimental if we as humans absorbed every molecule we touch. Imagine being in a pool and absorbing most of the water there, it would disrupt our body’s pH, and water regulation, digestion, every single process that requires balance, as we learned through this course, everything in our body requires homeostasis. The epidermis also possesses melanocytes, the cells responsible for giving skin tone, melanin.
Dermis: This is the thickest layer, and it possesses collagen, blood vessels, and elastin fibers that aid in strength and flexibility of the skin and allow for the transport of vital nutrients. This section also contains the nerve endings that allow for us to feel and sense pain and movement, and temperature.
Hypodermis: This is the deepest layer of skin, and it contains fat and connective tissue. It helps the body maintain its temperature while also protecting it against colder temperatures, depending on how much fat there is. This layer also serves as a storage of energy for metabolic use

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Yona Souza.

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