The dermis contains hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous (oil) glands, blood vessels, nerve endings, and a variety of touch receptors. The epidermis also contains very sensitive cells called touch receptors that give the brain a variety of information about the environment the body is in. When you are in the sun, the melanin builds up to increase its protective properties, which also causes the skin to darken. It contains melanin, which protects against the sun’s harmful rays and also gives skin its color. Made of dead skin cells, the epidermis is waterproof and serves as a protective wrap for the underlying skin layers and the rest of the body. In Latin, the prefix “epi-” means “upon” or “over.” So the epidermis is the layer upon the dermis (the dermis is the second layer of skin). The very top layer is the epidermis and is the layer of skin you can see. Nerve Signals: Making Sense of It All Skin Anatomy Somatosensory System: The Ability To Sense Touch It is truly amazing how much information we receive about the world through our sense of touch, and although we still don’t know all the ins and outs of how the skin perceives touch, what we do know is interesting. Most importantly, this sense of touch lets us feel physical pain–a necessity for avoiding injury, disease, and danger. The skins “sense of touch” is what gives our brains a wealth of information about the natural environment, including temperature, humidity, and air pressure. It’s not only the body’s largest sensory organ, but it’s also the largest organ–period! Our skin acts as the protective barrier between our internal body systems and the outside world.
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