Dermis

Dermis, or corium, the inner layer of skin beneath the epidermis. It comprises a layer of connective tissue 1 to 4 millimeters thick, that is thicker on the back than on the front of the body. The cells are most numerous just beneath the epidermis, the tissue being more fibrous in its deeper part. The boundary between dermis and epidermis is undulating, the waves being most pronounced where the skin is thick. The dermis contains many nerves, blood vessels, and seat glands. The raised parts of the dermis are called papillae and at some sites, such as the fingertips, these are arranged linearly and produce characteristic patterns responsible for individual fingerprints.