[The temperature gradient values in the skin and their significance for thermoregulation]

The ambient temperature decrease from 32-35 degrees C to 15-17 degrees C was shown to increase the temperature gradient between the skin surface and its deep layers (2-3 mm from the surface) from 0.13 +/- 0.1 degrees C to 1.29 +/- 0.13 degrees C in humans. Considering the localisation of thermoreceptors in different skin layers, such a considerable gradient can be measured by the thermoregulation system and serve for determination of direction and intensity of heat flow across the skin.