The keratinocytes are the major cell type of the epidermis and are divided into multiple layers…. half of which remain in place and anchor the epidermis to the dermis, the other half of the keratinocytes undergo differentiation…. they change from a nucleated (living) cell to a non-nucleated (dead) cell. The keratinocytes that change travel from the basement layer of the skin to the surface and this process takes between four to six weeks. Once the cells reach the surface they die. They remain here on the skins surface for about two weeks then exfoliate off.
The melanocytes are responsible for the color of the skin… they produce melanin, the pigment. People have similar amounts of melanocytes but differ by the amount of melanin produced by the pigment cell. They can also differ by the size of the melanocytes and functionality of them. The melanocyes are responsible for absorbing some of the potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The melanocytes are located in the bottom layer of the skin’s epidermis… they are also found in the middle layer of the eye. When they are sun damaged or unhealthy they release an uneven amount of melanin or pigment resulting in a brown spot, red spot, freckle or age spot.
Fibroblast are the major cell in the dermis and produce collagen and elastin fibers. The fibroblasts provide a structural framework for many tissues. Unlike the epithelial cells, fibroblasts do not form flat monolayers and are not restricted by a polarizing attachment to the basement layer. While the epithelial cells form the lining and surface of the body structures it is fibroblasts and related connective tissues which sculpt the “bulk” of the body and the face..
The best way to ensure healthy skin is to ensure these layers are healthy.
