96336 - Skin and Skin Annexes Anatomy and Physiology

Learning outcomes

After attending this course and passing the final exam, the student knows cytology, histology, anatomy and physiology of the skin and skin annexes, and the morphological and functional changes associated with the aging processes.

Course contents

Unit 1: Skin Anatomy

the eukaryotic cell

Cell membrane

- structure, cell membrane proteins, definition of permeability

Cytoplasm

- cytoskeleton (microfilaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules)

- organelles (mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, lysosomes and perossisomes)

Nucleus

- chromatin, DNA complexed with histone proteins, nucleolus

Introduction to Histology:

Epithelial tissue: organization. Protective and secretive epithelia.

Connective tissue: cells and extracellular matrix components. Classification of connective tissues

Blood

Adipose tissue: description of adipocytes

Nervous tissue: neurons, glial cells

The integumentary system: general features

Components of the skin

Epidermis

- keratinocytes, melanocytes, Langerhans cells

- layers of epidermis

- cell junctions

- Keratinization and growth of the epidermis

Dermis

- cells

- extracellular matrix components

Hypodermis

Skin annexes

Hair follicles

Fingernails

Sebaceous glands

Sweat glands

Cutaneous sensitivity

Sensory receptors: free nervous endings, Meissner corpuscles, Ruffini corpuscles, Pacini corpuscles, Merkel cells.

Location and structure of olfactory epithelium

Oral cavity and taste receptors

Morphological changes of the skin connected with aging

Unit 2: skin physiology

Specific functions of the skin layers (epidermis, dermis and hypodermis) and skin annexes (hair, nails, sweat glands and sebaceous glands).

Protective functions: mechanical, physical (against radiations, temperature, electricity), chemical and biological (including immune) protection.

Permeability and prevention of dehydration.

Vitamin D synthesis.

Sensory functions: physiology of sensory receptors for touch, proprioception, thermoception, pain (somatosensory system), smell (olfactory system) and taste (gustatory system); adequate stimuli, mechanisms of signal transduction, genesis and propagation of bioelectrical signals, ascending neural pathways, cortical representation and elaboration.

Autonomic nervous system (regulation of activity; efferent pathways; sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions; neurotransmitters and receptors).

Thermoregulatory functions: vascularization of the skin, autonomic regulation, mechanisms of thermogenesis and thermodispersion.

Readings/Bibliography

Anatomy & Physiology, J. Gordon Betts et al., OpenStax, Rice University (Houston, Texas, U.S.A.), 2017.

Articles and other materials provided in the classroom.

Teaching methods

Lectures are conducted in a classroom using Power Point presentations.

Assessment methods

Student learning in the Course “Skin and skin annexes Anatomy and Physiology” will be assessed in oral tests, each of them evaluated in thirtieths; students must have passed the first test to take the second one. 1) The first test concerns the teaching module "Skin and skin annexes Anatomy"; 2) the second test (which can be taken on the same day or later, within the same exam window) concerns the teaching module 2 regarding the skin physiology.

Each test is passed if the mark is equal to or higher than 18/30.

The final mark is the arithmetic average of the marks reported in the three modules of the course "Skin, skin annexes and diseases".

Teaching tools

Projector and Laptop

Office hours

See the website of Gabriella Teti

See the website of Fiorenza Stagni