What are the two major regions of the dermis?

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The dermis is composed of two major regions:

  • Papillary layer: This outer region is named for the numerous microscopic papillae that project into the overlying epidermis. In humans, these structures are arranged in patterns that form fingerprints.1
  • Reticular layer: This inner region consists of denser collagen than the papillary layer. It houses various structures, including skin glands, blood and lymph vessels, muscle cells, and nerve endings.21