ABSTRACT
Heat regulation occurs through the use of the subcutaneous fat pad, physiological regulation of blood flow to effect for instance, heat loss by vasodilation and cooling by perspiration. Blood flow changes are most evident in the skin in relation to various physiological responses and include psychological effects such as shock and embarrassment, temperature effects and physiological responses to exercise, haemorrhage, and alcohol consumption. This chapter introduces the reader to the basic morphology of skin, outlines the stages in the development of the barrier layer, explains the major proteins of the stratum corneum and to illustrate repair mechanisms following barrier disruption. The entire process of epidermal terminal differentiation is geared towards the generation of the specific chemical morphology of the stratum corneum. Thus, the end products of this process are the intracellular protein matrix and the intercellular lipid lamellae. Certainly, epidermal stem cells are located in the basal epidermis and also in the hair follicles and sebaceous glands.
