Related topics: skin cancer , skin cells
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
Genomic differences identified in common skin diseases
Dec 23, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- If you have dry skin, wet it, if wet skin, dry it. This has been a general rule of dermatology for centuries, but scientists are working to develop more precise treatments for the dozen-plus inflammatory ...
New, virulent strain of MRSA poses renewed antibiotic resistance concerns
Dec 22, 2009 |
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The often feared and sometimes deadly infections caused by MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - are now moving out of hospitals and emerging as an even more virulent strain in community settings and on ath ...
Study redefines placebo effect as part of effective treatment
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Dec 22, 2009 |
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Researchers used the placebo effect to successfully treat psoriasis patients with one quarter to one half of their usual dose of a widely used steroid medication, according to an early study published online today in the ...
Metastasis formation revealed in detail and real time
Dec 20, 2009 |
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Up to 25% of cancer patients develop metastases in the brain - often long after successful treatment of the primary tumor. In almost all such cases, the prognosis is poor. The mechanisms responsible for the appearance of ...
Twin study identifies factors associated with skin aging
Dec 21, 2009 |
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Smoking, being heavier, not using sunscreen and having had skin cancer appear to be associated with sun damage and aging of skin on the face, according to report based on a study of twins in the December issue of Archives of ...
Heart transplant patients appear to have elevated risk for multiple skin cancers
Dec 21, 2009 |
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Many heart transplant patients develop multiple skin cancers, with increased risk for some skin cancers among patients with other cancers and with increasing age, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of ...
Trends in melanoma incidence and stage at diagnosis vary by racial and ethnic group
Dec 21, 2009 |
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White and Hispanic individuals are being diagnosed with melanoma more frequently in recent years, whereas Hispanic and black patients continue to have advanced skin cancer at diagnosis, according to a report in the December ...
Researchers identify new stem cell
Dec 07, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have discovered a new type of stem cell in the skin that acts surprisingly like certain stem cells found in embryos: both can generate fat, bone, cartilage, and even nerve cells. These newly-described ...
Researchers finds hidden sensory system in the skin
Dec 08, 2009 |
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Researchers report that the human body has an entirely unique and separate sensory system aside from the nerves that give most of us the ability to touch and feel. Surprisingly, this sensory network is located throughout ...
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.
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.
New ethical questions are being raised in stem cell research
Dec 10, 2009 |
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A groundbreaking discovery two years ago that turned ordinary skin cells back into an embryonic or "pluripotent" state was hailed as the solution to the controversial ethical question that has plagued stem-cell science for ...
Sticks and stones break bones, but new study may prevent it
Dec 09, 2009 |
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The best way to prevent a fracture is to stop bones from reaching the point where they are prone to breaking, but understanding the process of how bones form and mature has been challenging. Now researchers at the University ...
Study Describes Novel Model of Skin Cancer
Dec 09, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have developed a new model of skin cancer based on the knowledge that a common cancer-related molecule called Src kinase is ...
Marketing a 'spoonful of sugar'
Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Dec 15, 2009 |
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Your kids won't wear their seatbelts, take their vitamins or brush their teeth? A new study by Tel Aviv University offers a simple formula that will get better compliance in the kid department -- and has implications for ...
