MH 088 Skin

Thick and Thin Skin
(with Melanin)

Thick and thin skin from a dark skinned individual.

• Thin Skin - covers most of the body and is heavily pigmented.
  • Melanocytes (#1,#2) - melanin-producing cells located in the stratum basale.
    • Paradoxically, melanocytes are unpigmented because they do not store melanin.
    • Melanin is transferred to other keratinocytes in membrane-bound organelles (melanosomes).
  • Stratum Basale - heavily pigmented with dark brown granules of melanin.
  • Stratum Spinosum - pigment is present in all layers of the epidermis.
• Thick Skin - covers the palms of the hands and soles of the feet and is lightly pigmented.
  • Melanocytes - melanin-producing cells located in the stratum basale.
    • Paradoxically, melanocytes are unpigmented because they do not store melanin.
    • Melanin is transferred to other keratinocytes in membrane-bound organelles (melanosomes).
  • Stratum Basale - lightly pigmented with dark brown granules of melanin.
  • Sweat Gland - coiled tubular gland with simple or stratified cuboidal epithelium (lightly stained) and duct cells (dark staining).
  • Hair Follicle and Sebaceous Gland - common in thin skin. The sebaceceus glands are large cells with a central nuclei and foamy cytoplasm. These cells produce an oily, waxy substance called sebum that is released onto the surface of the skin.