MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
SECONDARY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME
GRADE 11
BIOLOGY
Week 5 Lesson 1
Topic: Sense organ
Sub-topic: The skin
Objectives: After reading handouts, students will:
Correctly explain the structure of the skin
Accurately describe the functions of the skin in temperature regulation and
protection.
Content
Humans (and other mammals and birds) gain most of their body heat from their metabolic
processes. This heat is carried throughout the body in the blood and it helps to keep our body
temperature constant. The human skin is the largest single organ in the body. It is also the organ
that plays the biggest role in regulating body temperature.
The skin has many different functions:
It contains receptors that help you to be aware of your environment.
Its top layer is waterproof, stopping water from evaporating from the cells underneath.
It contains the brown pigment melanin, which absorbs ultraviolet light that could damage
the DNA in your cells.
It helps to keep your temperature constant.
Structure and functions of the main parts of the skin
Fig. 1 showing the cross-section of the skin
(image taken from nursingtime.net)
TABLE 1 SUMMARISING THE FUNCTIONS OF THE MAIN PARTS OF THE SKIN
Structure Function
Epidermis Three layers of cells. The top layer is dead and provides protection for the
layer’s underneath. The middle layer contains living cells. The bottom
layer divides continually to provide new cells for the epidermis. The
epidermis also contains specialised cells called melanocytes. These
produce the pigment that gives skin its colour and protects again harmful
UV rays.
Sebaceous gland Produces an oily substance called sebum. Sebum prevents the skin from
drying out and acts as a mild antiseptic to destroy fungi and bacteria which
would otherwise infect the skin.
Sweat gland Produces sweat which contains 99.5% water, 0.25% urea and 0.25%
sodium chloride.
Temperature regulation
The skin works together with receptors in the hypothalamus to control the temperature. Any
changes to the external temperature are sensed by the skin. Changes in the temperature of the blood
are sensed by the skin.
When body temperature drops below the normal 37-degree Celsius, the hypothalamus is
activated. This sends a message (via the nerves) to the blood vessels in the skin and they
constrict (close up) to prevent heat loss. At the same time, the hairs on the skin stand up so
that they can act as insulation by trapping a layer of warm air next to the skin. This is why
you get goosebump when you get cold.
If the body temperature falls further, messages are sent to the skeletal muscle and they start
to contract and relax very quickly; causing you to shiver. Shivering generates heat and your
body temperature rises as a result.
When your body temperature rises above normal, the hypothalamus sends messages to the
blood vessels to make them dilate. This allows more blood to flow close to the surface of
the skin and more heat is lost to the environment. The hypothalamus also activates the
sweat glands, so you sweat more. The evaporation of sweat also helps to lower body
temperature.
TABLE 2 SUMMARISING HOMEOSTATIC FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN
Mechanism to encourage heat loss Mechanism to conserve heat
Increased blood flows through capillaries Decreased blood flow through capillaries
close to the skin to increase heat loss from close to the skin surface to reduce heat loss
the skin surface. from the skin surface
The amount of sweat produced by sweat Less sweat produced, so heat loss by
glands; increased heat lost as sweat evaporation is reduced.
evaporates
Hair lies flat against the body to reduce the Hair stands up to trap and provide an
insulating layer insulating layer next to the skin.
Metabolic rate drops (we become less active) Metabolic rate rises to produce extra heat,
so that less heat is produced in the body shivering may occur in muscles to generate
more body heat
Besides its role in regulating temperature, the skin also functions as a physical barrier between
our internal and external environments. The skin prevents damage to underlying tissue,
protects the body from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and prevents harmful micro-organisms
from entering the body.
Homework
One of the functions of the skin is regulating temperature. Why is it important for humans to
maintain a core body temperature of 370C?
References
Kirby, P.-G., Lucy, M., & Morrison, K. (2014). Biology for CSEC (2nd ed.). Cheltenham, UK:
Nelson Thornes Ltd.
Unknown. (2019, November 25). systems of life. Retrieved from nursingtimes.net:
https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/dermatology/skin-1-the-structure-and-
functions-of-the-skin-25-11-2019/
