Three-dimensional observations of microvasculature of human finger skin.

Resin casts of the fine vasculature of human digits in normal and some abnormal states were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The palmar skin contained terminal loops aligned with the finger-print, while the dorsal skin vasculature consisted of a coarse meshwork. Fine vessels in the nail bed had a parallel orientation as far as the lunula in adults, but were straight right up to the nail roots in young children. A deeper meshwork of capillaries (corresponding to the rete subpapillare and the rete cutaneum), vessels of the glomus bodies, and the dense meshwork of sweat glands were visible on the sagittal cut surface of the samples. A severely scarred index finger showed a coarse meshwork of surface capillaries. A skin-grafted index finger showed repaired terminal loops resembling normal skin in the area of grafted skin. The fine architecture of the digital vessels observed was discussed in terms of the physiology of blood circulation to the skin.