Skin
hideThe skin is the outer covering of the body. In humans, it is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of mesodermal tissues, and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. Skin of a different nature exists in amphibians, reptiles, birds. Human skin is not unlike that of most other mammals except that it is not protected by a pelt and appears hairless though in fact nearly all human skin is covered with hair follicles. The adjective cutaneous literally means "of the skin" (from Latin cutis, skin).
Because it interfaces with the environment, skin plays a key role in protecting (the body) against pathogens and excessive water loss. Its other functions are insulation, temperature regulation, sensation, synthesis of vitamin D, and the protection of vitamin B folates. Severely damaged skin will try to heal by forming scar tissue. This is often discolored and depigmented.
In humans, skin pigmentation varies among populations, and skin type can range from dry to oily. Such skin variety provides a rich and diverse habit for bacteria which number roughly a 1000 species from 19 phyla.
For more information about Skin, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with skin
Special ultrasound accurately identifies skin cancer
Dec 01, 2009 |
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High-frequency ultrasound with elastography can help differentiate between cancerous and benign skin conditions, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Tactile input affects what we hear: study
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 30, 2009 |
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Humans use their whole bodies, not just their ears, to understand speech, according to University of British Columbia linguistics research.
Sunscreen makes good economic sense
Nov 30, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Applying sunscreen on a regular basis not only prevents cancer, but will save the government money.
Kangaroos may hold skin cancer cure: study
Nov 30, 2009 |
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Kangaroos may provide the key to a potential treatment to prevent skin cancer, Australian scientists said Monday.
Political views may skew perception of skin tone, new study finds
Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Nov 24, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Political affinity could influence how some people view the skin tone of biracial political candidates, according to a new study from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, New York University ...
Reduced skin infections in Northern Australian Aboriginal children
Nov 24, 2009 |
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A community-based program aimed at reducing the burden of skin disease across remote communities in Australia's Northern Territory has been successful according to a study published November 24 in the open-access journal ...
Discovery leads to effective treatment of painful skin condition
Nov 24, 2009 |
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Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute, in collaboration with a worldwide group of physicians and scientists, have discovered a remarkable treatment for a rare, yet debilitating, skin condition.
New device enables early detection of cancerous skin tumors
Nov 24, 2009 |
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Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev are developing a new device that detects cancerous skin tumors, including melanomas that aren't visible to the naked eye.
'Too fat to be a princess?' Study shows young girls worry about body image
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 24, 2009 |
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Even before they start school, many young girls worry that they are fat. But a new study suggests watching a movie starring a stereotypically thin and beautiful princess may not increase children's anxieties.
Clinical trials of spray-on skin to start in US
Nov 24, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Clinical trials comparing a spray-on skin product with skin grafts will start in the US in December. The trials, which are partly funded by a US army grant of $1.4 million, will last about a year and will ...
Surface bacteria maintain skin's healthy balance
Nov 22, 2009 |
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On the skin's surface, bacteria are abundant, diverse and constant, but inflammation is undesirable. Research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine now shows that the normal bacteria living on the ...
Ancestry attracts, but love is blind
Nov 20, 2009 |
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People preferentially marry those with similar ancestry, but their decisions are not necessarily based on hair, eye or skin colour. Research, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Biology, shows that M ...
Text message reminders can encourage healthy action
Nov 16, 2009 |
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People who received daily text messages reminding them to apply sunscreen were nearly twice as likely to use it as those who did not receive such messages, a new study led by a UC Davis Health System dermatologist has found. ...
Skin color gives clues to health
Nov 16, 2009 |
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Researchers from the universities of Bristol and St. Andrews in the UK have found that the color of a person's skin affects how healthy and therefore attractive they appear, and have found that diet may be crucial to achieving ...
Smokers with common autoimmune disorder at higher risk for skin damage
Nov 02, 2009 |
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As if there weren't enough reasons to stop smoking, a team of researchers at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) have just found another. A study led by Dr. Christian A Pineau, Co-Director ...
