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By the end of this section, you will be able to:
  • Identify the accessory structures of the skin
  • Describe the structure and function of hair and nails
  • Describe the structure and function of sweat glands and sebaceous glands

Accessory structures of the skin include hair, nails, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands. These structures embryologically originate from the epidermis and can extend down through the dermis into the hypodermis.

Hair

Hair is a keratinous filament growing out of the epidermis. It is primarily made of dead, keratinized cells. Strands of hair originate in an epidermal penetration of the dermis called the hair follicle    . The hair shaft    is the part of the hair not anchored to the follicle, and much of this is exposed at the skin’s surface. The rest of the hair, which is anchored in the follicle, lies below the surface of the skin and is referred to as the hair root    . The hair root ends deep in the dermis at the hair bulb    , and includes a layer of mitotically active basal cells called the hair matrix    . The hair bulb surrounds the hair papilla    , which is made of connective tissue and contains blood capillaries and nerve endings from the dermis ( [link] ).

Hair

This diagram shows a cross section of the skin containing a hair follicle. The follicle is teardrop shaped. Its enlarged base, labeled the hair bulb, is embedded in the hypodermis. The outermost layer of the follicle is the epidermis, which invaginates from the skin surface to envelope the follicle. Within the epidermis is the outer root sheath, which is only present on the hair bulb. It does not extend up the shaft of the hair. Within the outer root sheath is the inner root sheath. The inner root sheath extends about half of the way up the hair shaft, ending midway through the dermis. The hair matrix is the innermost layer. The hair matrix surrounds the bottom of the hair shaft where it is embedded within the hair bulb. The hair shaft, in itself, contains three layers: the outermost cuticle, a middle layer called the cortex, and an innermost layer called the medulla.
Hair follicles originate in the epidermis and have many different parts.

Just as the basal layer of the epidermis forms the layers of epidermis that get pushed to the surface as the dead skin on the surface sheds, the basal cells of the hair bulb divide and push cells outward in the hair root and shaft as the hair grows. The medulla    forms the central core of the hair, which is surrounded by the cortex    , a layer of compressed, keratinized cells that is covered by an outer layer of very hard, keratinized cells known as the cuticle    . These layers are depicted in a longitudinal cross-section of the hair follicle ( [link] ), although not all hair has a medullary layer. Hair texture (straight, curly) is determined by the shape and structure of the cortex, and to the extent that it is present, the medulla. The shape and structure of these layers are, in turn, determined by the shape of the hair follicle. Hair growth begins with the production of keratinocytes by the basal cells of the hair bulb. As new cells are deposited at the hair bulb, the hair shaft is pushed through the follicle toward the surface. Keratinization is completed as the cells are pushed to the skin surface to form the shaft of hair that is externally visible. The external hair is completely dead and composed entirely of keratin. For this reason, our hair does not have sensation. Furthermore, you can cut your hair or shave without damaging the hair structure because the cut is superficial. Most chemical hair removers also act superficially; however, electrolysis and yanking both attempt to destroy the hair bulb so hair cannot grow.

Hair follicle

This micrograph is of the base of a hair follicle. The protruding hair is largely transparent, with only its dark outline visible. The inner root sheath is visible surrounding the very bottom of the hair as a circle of cells with dark-staining nuclei. The inner sheath extends up the hair shaft. The outer root sheath is much thicker than the inner root sheath, consisting of a large oval of lighter staining cells. The oval surrounds the bottom of the hair and extends into the hypodermis.
The slide shows a cross-section of a hair follicle. Basal cells of the hair matrix in the center differentiate into cells of the inner root sheath. Basal cells at the base of the hair root form the outer root sheath. LM × 4. (credit: modification of work by “kilbad”/Wikimedia Commons)

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Source:  OpenStax, Anatomy & Physiology: support and movement. OpenStax CNX. Aug 21, 2014 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11700/1.1
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