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Unit 2 The Integumentary System (2 Hours LEC/3 Hours LAB)

The document provides an overview of Unit 2 which covers the integumentary system. It describes the skin and its appendages including hair, nails, and glands. The skin acts as a protective barrier and is involved in processes like thermoregulation, vitamin D production, sensation, and absorption. The unit objectives are to understand the structure and functions of the integumentary system and its components.

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Cherry Urmanita Bucaling
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337 views

Unit 2 The Integumentary System (2 Hours LEC/3 Hours LAB)

The document provides an overview of Unit 2 which covers the integumentary system. It describes the skin and its appendages including hair, nails, and glands. The skin acts as a protective barrier and is involved in processes like thermoregulation, vitamin D production, sensation, and absorption. The unit objectives are to understand the structure and functions of the integumentary system and its components.

Uploaded by

Cherry Urmanita Bucaling
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 2: The Integumentary System

Unit 2

The Integumentary System


(2 hours LEC/3 hours LAB)

Introduction

This unit describes the covering structure of the body – the


skin and its appendages. It talks about the function of the skin, and
associated glands, nails, and hair. The skin is the outermost layer of
the body therefore; protection is the most obvious function. And since it
is superficial, the relationships between structure and function are
easier to demonstrate than many other organ systems.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit, you are expected to:


a. identify the skin structure and its appendages;
b. enumerate the function of the integumentary system;
c. discuss the specific functions of skin, hair, glands, and
nails;
d. compare the structure (tissue makeup) of the major
membrane type;
e. describe the structure and function of the layers of the
skin;
f. explain how melanin, blood, carotene, and collagen affect
skin color; and.
g. name the glands of the skin, and describe the secretions
they produce.

Presentation of Contents
Centuries ago soldiers wore an armor to protect them against being
wounded in a battle. And so, just like those armors, the integumentary
system, specifically the skin as its major organ, is in its own way,
functions as this form for the body. It provides a barrier between the
vital, life-sustaining organs and the influence of outside elements that
could potentially damage them. Thus, in any form of armor, a breach
in the protective barrier poses a danger.

The skin, or integument, is considered an organ because it consists of


all four tissue types. The skin also consists of accessory organs, such
as glands, hair, and nails, thus making up the integumentary system.
These structures perform a variety of essential functions, namely for
protection, synthesis of Vitamin D, thermoregulation, sensation,
absorption and excretion.

To be more familiar with the different functions of the integumentary


system read VanPutte, Regan & Russo (2019); Marieb E. & Keller

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Unit 2: The Integumentary System

(2019) or Rizzo D. (2016).

Application: Based from your reading and self –


understanding, answer the following items correctly. Please specify
your references completely.
1. Describe the physical, chemical and biological barriers present
in the skin.
2. Discuss the role of the skin in the production of Vitamin D.
Explain its importance in bone health.
3. Explain the sensory function of the skin and enumerate the
types of sensation detected by the receptors in the skin.
4. Associate the function of the skin in maintaining homeostasis
through temperature regulation.

What do you think when you look at your skin in the mirror?
Well, base from your readings on the functions of the integumentary
system, you can now think about the fact that, the skin is far more than
just the outer covering of human beings and that it is responsible for
much more than simply lending to your outward appearance.

The skin has two types, namely, the thick skin and thin skin. Likewise, it
has also two distinct regions; the epidermis and the dermis.

The epidermis is made up of keratinized stratified squamous epithelium


with the following layers; Stratum basale (germinatum); Stratum
spinosum (spinelike projection); Stratum granulosum; Stratum lucidum
which is only present on the palms and soles and the most superficial
layer the Stratum corneum (horny layer of dead cells). Moreover, the
epithelium is made of the following cell types; the Keratinocytes,
Melanocytes, Langerhans cell and Merkels cell.

The dermis which is the second deepest part of the skin where the blood
vessels, nerves, glands and hair follicles are embedded. It is composed
mainly of connective tissues particularly collagen and elastic fibers. The
dermis has two layers; the Papillary layer which is made up of areolar
connective tissue, which also includes dermal papillae and the Reticular
layer which is a network of collagen and reticular fibers, in this layer are
where the hair follicles, nerves, sebaceous and sudoriferous glands are
being contained.

Although technically not part of the skin, the hypodermis, also termed as
the subcutaneous layer or superficial fascia lies beneath the dermis.

Aside from the said structures, the skin is being described by color.
There are different associated factors that determine skin color, this
includes skin pigments, blood circulation and the thickness of stratum

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Unit 2: The Integumentary System

corneum. Despite our differences in skin color, these skin characteristic


is in fact helpful in providing important clues about the nature of a
disease process. To further expand your understanding about this read,
VanPutte, Regan & Russo (2019); Marieb E. & Keller (2019) or Rizzo D.
(2016).

1. Differentiate a thick skin from a thin skin.


2. Characterize the different layers of the epidermal epithelium and
describe the different types of cells making up the epidermis.
3. Discuss the structure responsible for our fingerprints, palmprints
and footprints. State the reason why these prints are unique
among individuals.
4. Name the different skin pigments that affect skin color. Discuss
the relationship of sun exposure and skin color.
5. Relate as many systemic problems as you can that can affect the
skin color.

The fact that you can feel an ant crawling on your skin, allowing
you to flick it off before it bites, is because the skin contains specialized
sensory nerve structures and, especially because of the hairs projecting
from hair follicles in the skin which can also sense changes in the
environment.

As you can see, the hair is distributed all over the skin right? Except on
the areas such as the palms of the hand, soles of the feet, lips, nipples,
parts of the genitals and the distal portions of the fingers and toes. It
contributes warmth to the body, sense of light touch and has a
protective function as well. The parts include the shaft, hair root, base of
the hair follicle, the arrector pili muscles and the hair root plexus which is
responsible for sensing light touch.

Like the hair, sweat glands are also present everywhere on the skin.
These glands are the Sebaceous (oil) gland; the Sudoriferous (Sweat)
gland which has two types, the eccrine and the apocrine sweat gland;
and the modified apocrine gland which are the Ceruminous gland and
the Mammary gland.

Aside from the hair and the sweat glands, the other skin accessory
organ is the nail. The nail is a thin plate which contains hard keratin and
consists of layers of dead stratum corneum cells. Parts of nail include
the nail body; free edge; nail root; lunula; hyponychium; and the
eponychium or cuticle. Supplement your knowledge of the skin’s
accessory organs by reading VanPutte, Regan & Russo (2019); Marieb
E. & Keller (2019) or Rizzo D. (2016).

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Unit 2: The Integumentary System

1. Discuss the function of the parts of the hair. .


2. Compare and contrast the different skin glands as to the
secretion that they produce and as to the function of the
secretion.
3. Define the parts of the nail.
4. Differentiate the site and the process of hair and nail growth.

Unit Summary
Here is what you have learned from the Integumentary system:
1. The integumentary system is composed of the skin and its
appendages specifically the hair, the nail and the skin glands.
2. The skin performs a variety of function specifically for protection,
synthesis of Vitamin D, thermoregulation, sensation, absorption
and excretion.
3. The skin and its accessory structures are composed of different
parts with specific and important function to portray.

References
Textbook/Manual:
1. Tortora & Derrikson (2016). Principles of Anatomy and
Physiology, 15th Edition.
2. VanPutte C., Regan J., Russo A. (2019). Seeley’s Essentials of
Anatomy and Physiology 10th Edition
3. Gunstream S. (2003), Anatomy & Physiology, 3rd Ed. McGraw Hill
4. Marieb E. & Keller S., (2019). Essentials of Human Anatomy &
Physiology,12th Ed, Pearson
5. Rizzo D. (2016). Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology, 4th Ed.
Pearson
6. Hapan M.F., Domingo J., Sadang M.G. (2015). Human
Physiology and Anatomy Laboratory Manual 2nd Edition C&E
Publishing
Online Sources:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-ap1/
https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/

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