Question

Write structure and function of hair found on the skin.

Answer 1

• Presence of hair on the skin is a specific mammalian character.
• The hair follicle that is present on the skin is present in both the layers of kin ie epidermis and dermis.

Structure:

• The hair follicle is made up of the following parts hair papilla, hair matrix, hair bulb
• The papilla is the base of the hair ie the hair root from where it is embedded in the connective tissue and also remains connected with the blood vessels.
• The hair matrix is the fluid present around the hair root/papilla.
• Hair bulb is the hair follicle itself that emerges out from the skin surface.
• Sweat glands, sebaceous gland also have opened along the hair follicle on the skin.

Function:

• Hair present on the scalp is used for both aesthetic beauty and also to protecting the skin on the head from UV rays. Hairs present on the animal's skins also have the same function of protecting the skin and also to maintain the temperature of the body.
• Humans have very much sparse hair on their body compared to the other animals. The hair present on the skin has the main function to protect the skin from the UV rays also to maintain the temperature of the body. When there is overheating of the body the body starts to sweat which is released from the pores of the sweat gland present along with hair follicle. When there is cold the hair on the skin show goosebumps where the hair on the skin erect and form small air pockets in between them which maintains the body temperature.
• The hairs present above the eyes that is the eyebrows perform the function of expressing the facial expression and also protect the eyes from the rays.