II: Support and Movement

INTEGUMENTARY
SYSTEM
Learning Objectives:
• Explain the basic functions of the skin
• Describe changes in the skin across the life
span
• Describe the cells and layers of the epidermis
• Identify the cell and regions of the dermis
• Discuss the components and function of the
skin derivatives
• Explain the role of the skin in thermoregulation
Key points:
• Protection: Acts as a barrier against
pathogens, UV radiation, and physical
injuries.
• Regulation: Helps regulate body
temperature through sweat and blood
flow.
• Sensation: Contains sensory receptors
that detect touch, pressure, pain, and
temperature.
Functions of the
Integumentary System
• Skin and its derivatives protect the body
chemically, physically and biologically
 Chemically – acidic skin secretions inhibit
bacteria from multiplying on body’s surface
- Bactericidal substances in the sebum
(sebaceous gland) kill some bacteria
- Melanin (chemical pigment) shields skin
from the sun’s UV rays
 Physically – keratinized cells of the
epidermis, hair and nails provide a barrier
to invading bacteria.
 Biologically – the epidermis contains
macrophage like Langerhans cells that
play a role in immunity; dermal
macrophages serves as second line of
defense against bacteria and viruses;
melanocytes produce melanin which
filters UV rays.
• Skin excretes waste products
 Small amounts of waste is excreted
in sweat (most nitrogenous wastes are
eliminated in urine)
Large amount of sodium chloride are
excreted through profuse sweating
• Skin helps regulate body temperature
(thermoregulation)
• Skin provides cutaneous sensation
 Sensory nerve fibers originate in the
nerve roots along spine and supply
sensation to specific areas of the skin
called dermatomes
 These receptors receives stimuli that
the brain interprets as temperature,
pressure or presence of tissue-
damaging elements.
• Skin participates in Vitamin D
synthesis
When exposed to UV rays, skin
converts cholesterol molecules to
vitamin D
Developmental
Consideration
• In the embryo, the epidermis and dermis
develop from ectodermal and
mesodermal germ layers
• A neonate’s skin is covered with vernix
caseosa (white, cheesy substance that
protects skin from amniotic fluid in utero)
• During adolescence, sebaceous glands
become more active from excessive
hormonal secretions
• With advance age, skin and it derivatives
change
 Skin loses elasticity, develops wrinkles,
undergoes pigmentation changes, and
heals more slowly.
 Old people are more likely to develop skin
cancer, pressure ulcers, and shingles
than younger people
Shingles is caused by
the varicella-zoster virus —
the same virus that causes
chickenpox. After you've
had chickenpox, the virus
stays in your body for the
rest of your life. Years later,
the virus may reactivate as
shingles. Shingles isn't life-
threatening.
• Hair loses pigmentation and grows
more slowly; nails also grow slowly
• Sweat and oil production diminishes
1. Epidermis
• Surface layer of the skin and the
outermost protective covering of the
body
• It is composed of keratinized, stratified
squamous epithelium
• Cells include keratinocytes,
melanocytes, Merkel cells, and
Langerhans cells
Keratinocytes - are the most
abundant type of epidermal cell
 Their chief role is to produce keratin,
a water-insoluble proteins that
hardens structures (such as hair
follicles)
Melanocytes – are clear cells that
synthesize tyrosinase and melanin
Merkel cells – are cup shaped tactile
nerve endings that serve as touch
receptors
Langerhans cells – are branched, star
shaped cells that resemble
melanocytes but don’t synthesize
tyrosinase; arising in bone marrow,
they migrate to the epidermis in a
macrophage-like fashion.
Epidermis consist of five
layers or strata
• Stratum basale (basal layer)
 The deepest layer of the epidermis
 Most cells are keratinocytes (arranged
perpendicularly)
 Merkel cells occasionally appear among
keratinocytes
 Melanocytes make up about 25% of its cells
• Stratum spinosum (spiny layer) is
thicker than the stratum basale and
lies just above it
This layer contains Langerhans cells in
addition to keratinocytes
Stratum basale and stratum spinosum
are called stratum germinativum
(growth layer) because epidermal
growth occurs in these layer
• Stratum granulosum (granular
layer) – is a thin layer above stratum
spinosum
 It’s composed of flattened cells and
some Langerhans cells
 Its name derives from the granular
substance (keratohyalin) found within
flattened cells
 Keratinization (production of keratin)
begins here
• Stratum lucideum (clear layer) is
a translucent band just above stratum
granulosum consisting of several rows
of flattened keratinocytes with
indistinct or absence of nuclei
• Stratum corneum (horny layer)
– is the outermost epidermal layer
It contains 20-30 layers of flattened,
cornified, non nucleated cells
It accounts for 75% of epidermal
thickness
Dead cells are regularly shed
2. Dermis
• This layer of the skin just below the epidermis,
the dermis (also called corium) forms the bulk of
skin
• It’s composed of strong, flexible connective tissue
that has a matrix heavily embedded with:
o Collagen – protein that gives strength to dermis
o Elastin – makes skin pliable
o Reticular fiber – bind collagen and elastin fibers
together
• Dermis contains many blood vessels,
nerve fibers, and lymphatic vessels
as well as most of the body’s hair
follicles, sweat glands, and oil
glands
• Sometimes called the true skin, the
dermis nourishes the epidermis (which
lacks blood vessels, lymphatic
vessels, and connective tissue)
Types of Cells in the Dermis
1. Fibroblasts – are differentiated cells of adult
connective tissue
2. Macrophages – are large, highly phagocytic
cells
3. Mast cells – are connective tissue cells that
can elaborate basophilic cytoplasmic
granules containing histamine and heparin
4. WBC’s (leukocytes) – are formed elements
of blood involved in inflammatory and
immune responses
• Dermis may tear with excessive skin
stretching; such damage results in silvery
white scars called striae (commonly called
stretch marks), which occur especially during
pregnancy
• Subcutaneous Tissue (hypodermis or
superficial fascia) lies beneath the dermis
 It consist of loose connective tissue that
attaches skin to underlying structures
 Fat in subcutaneous tissue insulates the body
Two regions of the Dermis
1. Papillary region (upper region) – accounts
for about 20% of dermal thickness; its
surface contains small, fingerlike projection
called dermal papillae
 Many dermal papillae contain capillary loops;
others contain free nerve endings (pain or
touch receptors)
 Dermal papillae make blood vessels and
nerves more readily available to skin surface
2. Reticular region (lower region) – is
composed of dense, its irregular
arrangement makes dermis flexible and
strong
Skin Derivatives
Key concepts
• Consist of hair, nails, and sudoriferous,
sebaceous, and ceruminous glands
• Originate from epidermis
• They help maintain homeostasis
1. Hair
• Hair covers most body parts; only the
lips, nipples, palms, soles, and parts
of the external genitalia totally lack
hairs
 Hair protects the body from heat loss
and UV rays
 It also shields the eyes and helps keep
dust out of the upper respiratory tract
• Follicles extend into the dermis
Nerve ending surrounds the bulb of
each hair follicle
Sebaceous glands secrete oily sebum
directly onto the hair follicle, lubricating
the hair shaft
• Nutrition and hormones affect hair
growth and distribution
Poor nutrition leads to less nourishing
blood supply to hair
The male hormone testosterone
encourage hair growth
2. Nails
• Nails are modified, heavily keratinized
epidermal protective coverings on the
dorsal surface at the end of each
finger and toe
• Cuticle – is the skin fold over the
proximal portion of the nail
• Lunula – is the white, crescent-shaped
region at the base of the nail plate.
3. Sudoriferous glands
• Long coiled tubes located in the dermis
or subcutaneous tissue that secrete
sweat through a duct on the body’s
surface
• These glands play a crucial role in
maintaining normal body
temperature; sympathetic division of
autonomic nervous system regulates
their function
• About 2.5 million are in the body, only
the lips, nipples, and parts of the
external genitalia lack these glands
• Sudoriferous glands are classified as
eccrine and apocrine
• Eccrine glands – are distributed over
nearly the entire body surface
 They’re most abundant on the palms,
soles, and forehead
 Gland’s secretory coil originates in the
dermis, with a duct extending up to a
funnel-shaped pore on the skin’s
surface
 Promotes cooling through evaporation of
secretions, in the palms and soles, they
secret fluid mainly in response to stress
• Apocrine glands – appear mainly in
axillary, anal, and genital areas
Large, branched, and specialized,
apocrine glands empty into ducts
Mammary glands (modified apocrine
glands) secrete milk
4. Sebaceous glands
• Also called oil glands, sebaceous
glands are simple alveolar glands that
secrete sebum (oil)
• Sebum softens and lubricates hair and
skin, preventing hair from becoming
brittle and impeding water loss from
skin; it also acts as bactericide
• Sebum usually travels via a duct to a
hair follicle
 Duct blocked by sebum forms a
whitehead
 As duct contents oxidize and dry, they
form a blackhead
• Only palms and soles lack sebaceous
glands
• Hormones influence secretion; se
hormones cause sebaceous glands to
hypertrophy during puberty and
atrophy in old age
5. Ceruminous gland
• Modified apocrine glands, ceruminous
glands line the external ear canal
• Combination of ceruminous and
sebaceous glands secretions called
cerumen (earwax)
 Thermoregulation
Key concepts
• Skin normally keeps body
temperature around 98.6 degree F
(37 degree C); this homeostatic
process called thermoregulation
• It occurs by negative feedback
mechanisms
Feedback Mechanisms
• When skin receptors sense
temperature stimulus (environmental
heat or cold), they send impulses
(input) to the control centers in the
brain
• Brain transmit impulses (output) to
effector organs (sweat glands and
blood vessels)
• Effector organs respond to the
brain’s message
When the body is hot, sweat glands
produce perspiration and blood
vessels dilate
Evaporation of sweat from the surface
dissipates heat
Vasodilation brings more warm blood
to skin, where it’s cooled