• Question: What is skin made of?

    Asked by emma13 to Sean, Asif, Laura, Lena, Viv on 12 Mar 2012. This question was also asked by v1997.
    • Photo: Sean Murphy

      Sean Murphy answered on 12 Mar 2012:

      Human skin is composed of layers of two types of cells:
      The epidermis is the outer layer of skin and provides waterproofing and serves as a barrier to infection. Keratinocytes are the major cells, constituting 95% of the epidermis
      The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. It contains nerve endings that provide the sense of touch and heat. It also contains the hair follicles, sweat glands, lymphatic vessels and blood vessels.

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