Which of the following is NOT a function of the skin?

• A. Regulates body temperature
• B. Protection of underlying tissues
• C. Sensation
• D. Digestion

Answer: (D)

The skin mostly acts as a protective barrier, helps control body temperature, and provides sensory information. It regulates temperature through sweat production and by widening or narrowing surface blood vessels, and it shields underlying tissues from injury, dehydration, and pathogens. It also contains receptors that let us feel touch, pressure, temperature, and pain. Digestion, however, is the chemical and mechanical breakdown of food that occurs in the digestive tract—mouth, stomach, and intestines—with enzymes and acids at work. The skin doesn’t secrete digestive enzymes or absorb nutrients to digest food, though it can contribute to other bodily processes (like vitamin D synthesis) that support overall health. Because digestion happens in the digestive system and not in the skin, this choice is not a function of the skin.