1. Skin Drawing Assignment
Instructions: Take a sheet of notebook paper & fold it into a triple fold (as if you are going to put it in a short envelope). You will end up with 3 equal sections from top to bottom on your notebook paper. Each folded section will represent a layer of the skin. You will create 1 seamless layer of skin on your notebook paper.

2. YOU WILL DRAW THE EPIDERMIS
Epidermis: The epidermis is keratinized, stratified, squamous epithelium consisting of four to five layers. The deepest layer, the stratum basale, is a single layer of cuboidal epithelial cells. The layer directly superior to the stratum basale is the stratum spinosum, consists of several layers (8-12) of flattened, irregularly shaped cuboidal epithelial cells. This layer is also mitotically active. The 3rd epidermal layer is the stratum granulosum. The stratum granulosum is thin region of only 3 to 5 layers of flattened cells. In thick skin, as found on the soles of your feet, two or three cell layers of clear flattened cells are found above the stratum granulosum called the stratum lucidum. The outer most epidermal layer of cells is called the stratum corneum which consists of twenty to thirty layers of dead cell remnants.
There are 5 layers to the epidermis & you will represent each layer within your drawing. Add each of the following epidermal layers & color each as indicated below. Be sure to make the thickness of each epidermal layer proportional to what it is in real life. Make sure you leave room in your epidermis for the hair root to pass through & the hair shaft to pass above the epidermis. Label the hair shaft.
Stratum Basale (dark purple) Stratum Spinosum (orange) Stratum Granulosum (pink)
Stratum Lucidum (clear/no color or markings) Stratum Corneum (white w/black dashes )
Make sure you draw/indicate at least 5 of each of the following cells in the layers indicated.
Black stars * will represent Melanocytes which produce pigment. Add to the stratum basale, spinosum & granulosum & label the star & give it’s function.
Green plus signs (+) will represent Keratinocytes which water repel & toughen the skin. Add + to 4 layers & label the plus sign & give it’s function.
Red dollar signs ($) will represent Langerhans cells which defend against pathogens. Add $ to stratum spinosum & label the dollar sign & give it’s function.
Pink Triangle ( ) will represent Merkel cells which are light touch receptors. Add to stratum basale & label the triangle & give it’s function.
Grey, Neurons will represent the free dendrite nerve endings. Add free dendrite nerve endings up to the stratum basale & label each.
Brown Hair shaft will start above the stratum corneum.
Write 4 functions of the Epidermis on the back of the page with the key & cell functions.
Label all layers & make a Key explaining what your symbols represent & include their functions!!!

3. YOU WILL DRAW THE DERMIS
Dermis: The dermis (aka. your hide) is made of strong but flexible connective tissue with reticular, collagen, and elastic fibers. This layer makes up the bulk of your skin, containing glands; blood vessels, hair root & follicles, & many nerve endings found in this layer have special names. The dermis has 2 layers; a papillary layer closest to the epidermis which is made of areolar connective tissue & a reticular layer made of dense irregular connective tissue. The reticular layer of the dermis makes up 4/5 of the dermis’ density, so be sure to draw it appropriately.
Each of the following structures is found within the dermis. You will need to draw at least 2 of the follow specialized cells, color, label & give the functions of each cell in this layer of the skin.
Nerves (grey) Meissner’s Corpuscles (light brown rectangle)
Pacinian’s Corpuscles (light pink oval) Sebaceous Glands (dark pink gland) attached to hair follicle
Arrector Pili Muscle (red & white stripes) Sudoriferous Glands (dark green gland) w/tubule going thru dermis/epidermis & 3 drops water out stratum corneum
Kause’s End Bulb (light blue smiley face  ) Ruffini’s Corpuscles (orange frowny face  )
Arteries (red) Veins (blue)
Capillaries ( ½ red; ½ blue) Areolar Connective tissue (light green) also label this layer the Papillary layer
Hair Root (dark brown) Dense Irregular Connective tissue (light purple) also label this layer the Reticular layer
Write at least 3 functions of the dermis on the back of the page along
w/the symbol key & the specialized cell functions.

4. YOU WILL DRAW THE HypoDERMIS
Hypodermis: The hypodermis is made of loose connective tissue that varies from adipose to areolar in nature. You’ll also find the origins of the free nerve endings, sudoriferous gland & the blood vessels in this tissue layer.
Draw the following structures found within the hypodermis & color, label each, & give the functions as indicated.
Adipose Connective tissue (yellow) & label Areolar Connective tissue (light green) & label
Arteries (red) & label & give function Veins (blue) & label & give function
Capillaries ( ½ red; ½ blue) & label & give function Sudoriferous Gland (dark green gland) & label
Nerves (grey) & label
Label all structures with their scientific names & Write at least 2 functions of the hypodermis on the back of the page.