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The microanatomy of the mouse skin is similar to the skin of other furred animals but differs from the human skin. The mouse skin consists of an external epithelium (epidermis), a thick layer of connective tissue (dermis), and a layer of adipose tissue (hypodermis or panniculus adiposus). A thin layer of striated muscle, known as panniculus carnosus, separates the skin from other structures. In mice (with the exception of albino strains), the melanocyte pigment melanin is present in the basal cells of the epidermis. The mouse skin has no eccrine sweat glands; these are located in the footpad only.
The micrographs are skin sections of an albino mouse, so melanin pigment is absent. The 4X micrograph shows the thin epidermis (formed by two to three cell layers), the dermis, and the hair follicles associated with sebaceous glands. The 10X and 20X micrographs depict details of the epidermis, hair follicles (piliary canals), dermis (formed by dense connective tissue), arrector pili muscle, and sebaceous glands. The 40X micrograph displays the layers of the epidermis (stratum basale, spinosum, granulosum, and corneum), and details of the dermal elements.
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