Dermis

The dermis is a layer of skin

Skin

-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...

 between the epidermis (with which it makes up the cutis

Cutis

Cutis may refer to several unrelated biological structures:* Cutis , the outermost layers of skin* Cutis , a type of pileipellis with a repent arrangement of hyphaeand to:* Cutiş, a village in Almaşu Commune, Sălaj County, Romania...

) and subcutaneous tissue

Subcutaneous tissue

The hypodermis, also called the hypoderm, subcutaneous tissue, or superficial fascia is the lowermost layer of the integumentary system in vertebrates. Types of cells that are found in the hypodermis are fibroblasts, adipose cells, and macrophages...

s, and is composed of two layers, the papillary and reticular dermis

Reticular dermis

The reticular dermis is the lower layer of the dermis, found under the papillary dermis, composed of dense irregular connective tissue featuring densely packed collagen fibers. It is the primary location of dermal elastic fibers....

. Structural components of the dermis are collagen

Collagen

Collagen is a group of naturally occurring proteins found in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals. It is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content...

, elastic fibers, and extrafibrillar matrix (previously called ground substance

Ground substance

Ground substance is a term for the non-cellular components of extracellular matrix which contain the fibers.It is usually not visible on slides, because it is removed during the preparation process....

).

Components of the Dermis

The dermis is composed of three major types of cells:
1. Fibroblasts
2. Macrophages
3. Adipocytes

Apart from these cells, the dermis is also composed of matrix components such as collagen (which provides strength), elastin (which provides elasticity), and glycosaminoglycans.

Stratum papillare

The stratum papillare sends conical elevations (papillae) into the
epidermis which contain either terminal networks of blood capillaries or tactile
Meissner's corpuscles.

Stratum reticulare

The stratum reticulare possesses coarser and more regularly arranged collagenous fiber bundles.