It can be easy to forget that the human skin is an organ. It's also the largest one and it's exposed, charged with keeping our inner biology safe from the perils of the outside world.
It can be easy to forget that the human skin is an organ. It s also the largest one and it s exposed, charged with keeping our inner biology safe from the perils of the outside world.
Michigan State University s Sangbum Park is someone who never takes skin or its biological functions for granted. He s studying skin at the cellular level to better understand it and help us support it when it s fighting injury, infection or disease.
By Bill Hathaway
May 6, 2021
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Epithelial and two types of immune cells, Langerhans Cell (red) and Dendritic epidermal T cells (green), coordinate spacing on the surface of the skin for optimal defenses against injury and infection. (Courtesy Greco Lab)
As the human body’s largest organ, the skin is responsible for protecting against a wide range of possible infections on all fleshy surfaces, from head to toe. So how exactly does the skin organize its defenses against such an array of threats?
A new Yale study shows that the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, is comprised of an army of immune cells that station themselves at regular intervals across the skin’s vast expanse to resist infection. When necessary, the researchers found, these immune system soldiers are able to reposition themselves to protect vulnerable areas.
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