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0:00
This is Dr. David Fisher from
the Department of Dermatology
at Massachusetts General Hospital.
I'm pleased to present
today's lecture, entitled
Disorders of Pigmentation
and Melanoma.
0:13
Probably the first
comprehensively presented
series of melanoma patients appeared
way back in 1857, as depicted
in this particular report by Dr.
William Norris, who was describing
a set of patients with a condition
associated with a hyper pigmented,
atypical, melanocytic disorder
that probably represented one
of the initial descriptions
of human melanoma.
0:40
This slide presents a
depiction in graphical form
of the anatomy and
architecture of human skin.
You will notice the
word epidermis describes
the most superficial
layers of the skin.
We will see in a
moment greater detail
of the structure of the epidermis.
But it is the epidermis which
is visible to the outside.
It's the epidermis
through which other organ
structures, such as
hairs, protrude.
And it is really the
epidermis that represents
the most crucial functional
barrier that protects the inside
of our bodies from the
outside environment.
Deep into the epidermis lies
the dermis and the hypodermis.
Within these structures reside
numerous other organelles
that have specialized function,
both in maintaining the skin itself,
and also in permitting communication
and protection to the organism
through their specific interactions.
The skin is frequently
described as the largest organ
in the human body, given
its cumulative surface area.
And it carries out numerous
highly differentiated
and specialized functions that
are vital for human health.
