A microscopic study of human skin from various anatomical sites of a cadaver

Background:The structure of the various layers of skin varies according to the anatomical site in the body from which the skin is taken.It is difficult to obtain samples of human skin from different anatomical regions, even from a dead body.Hence such studies from various hairy and non-hairy, and exposed and covered, areas of skin from the same individual are not frequent.Objectives: To understand the basic microscopic skin structure in various anatomical regions of the body.Materials and methods: The skin structure was studied under the light microscope using haematoxylin and eosin staining.All the samples were obtained from the same dissection hall cadaver of a middle aged Indian male, one month after it was embalmed.Observations and results: The thickness of the entire epidermis, the cellular and corneocyte layers, the suprapapillary epidermal plates, and the ratio of these values showed considerable variations in the various anatomical sites in the same body.So also the distribution and microanatomy of the skin appendages also showed wide variations.Conclusions: The structure of the skin is intricate and varies in different body sites.Regional variations in cutaneous topography and structure, for the most part, are adaptations for particular functions.