THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

The Integumentary System has many functions, most of which are involved in protecting you
and regulating your body’s internal functions in a variety of ways:
• Protects the body's internal living tissues and organs
• Protects against invasion by infectious organisms
• Protects the body from dehydration
• Protects the body against abrupt changes in temperature
• Helps dispose of waste materials
• Acts as a receptor for touch, pressure, pain, heat, and cold
• Stores water and fat
The Structure of the Skin

The Skin is also called as CUTANEUS MEMBRANE / INTEGUMENT, provides protection

from: mechanical impacts and pressure, variations in temperature, micro-organisms, radiation
and chemicals.
The skin is also considered as organ comprised of all 4 tissue types: Epithelial, Connective,
Muscle, Nervous System.

Epithelial Tissue
Lining all the external surfaces and internal cavities of an animal's body are continuous sheets of
cells known as epithelium.
Four functions may be attributed to Epithelial tissues:
(1)Protection of the underlying tissues
(2) Absorption
(3) Secretion
(4) Reception of sensory stimuli.

Connective Tissue
As a packing material, connective tissue provides a supporting matrix for many highly
organized structures. It forms restraining mechanism of the body in the form of retinacula, check
ligaments and fibrous pulley.
1) Binding and supporting
2) Protecting
3) Insulating
4) Storing reserve fuel
5) Transporting substances within the body.

Muscular Tissue
Muscle tissue functions as a single unit, and is often connected to the same nerve bundles. A
nerve impulse traveling from the brain or another outside signal tells the muscle to contract. The
nerve impulse is transferred almost instantaneously to all the nerve cells in the muscle tissue, and
the entire muscle contracts.

Nervous Tissue
Function of Nervous Tissue is to receive stimuli and send the impulse to the spinal cord and
brain. The brain sends back a response to the muscles via the nerves.
Regions of the Skin

Epidermis- the outer and thinner region of the skin. Serves several functions: it protects against
water loss, regulates gas exchange, secretes metabolic compounds, and (especially in roots)
absorbs water and mineral nutrients. Made up of stratified squamous epithelium divided into 4
seperated layers/ strata. From deepest to most superficial: Stratum Corneum, Stratum
Granulosum, Stratum Spinosum, Stratum Basale, Stratum Lucidum.

a. Stratum Corneum- It serves as the primary barrier between the body and the environment.

b. Stratum Lucidum- It contains a protein that is responsible for the degeneration of skin cells.
Being thick, this layer lowers the effects of friction in the skin – especially in susceptible regions
like the soles and palms.

c. Stratum Granulosum (SGR)- Accumulate dense basophilic keratohyalin granules. These

granules contain lipids, which along with the desmosomal connections, help to form a
waterproof barrier that functions to prevent fluid loss from the body.

d. Stratum Spinosum- Melanin is transferred to keratinocytes in the stratum spinosum to protect

cells from UV rays. The dermis connects the epidermis to the hypodermis, and provides strength
and elasticity due to the presence of collagen and elastin fibers.

e. Stratum Basale- also contains melanocytes, cells that produce melanin, the pigment primarily
responsible for giving skin its color. Melanin is transferred to keratinocytes in
the stratum spinosum to protect cells from UV rays.

Dermis-contains a lot of the body's water supply and it has important roles in both regulating
temperature and providing blood to the epidermis. Structures found in the dermis include:
Connective tissues, specifically collagen and elastic fiber.

Dermal Papillae- The upper layer of the dermis has fingerlike projections. they help adhesion
between the dermal and epidermal layers. Second, in areas of thick skin like this, they provide a
large surface area, to nourish the epidermal layer.

Hypodermis- is also known as Subcutaneuos Tissue lies below the Dermis. Instore adipose (fat)
that function as insulation and padding for the body. This layer of the skin insulates the body and
cushions and protects internal organs and bones from injury.

Adipose (Fat)- is an energy storage that can be called upon when necessary to supply the body
with molecule for cellular respiration. The storage of fat helps insulate the body and the burning
of fat helps generate heat.

Accessory Structure of the Skin

Accessory structure of the skin includes Nails, nails, and glands. These strucutres
embryologically originates in the epidermis and can extend down through the dermis and
hypodermis.

Hairs - is found on all the body parts except the palms, soles, lips, nipples, and portions of all the
external reproductive organs. The function of hair includes protection, regulation of body
temperature, and facilitation of evaporation of perspiration; hairs also act as sense organs. Hair
project from complex structures called hair follices. Hair Follicle cells are located at the base of
the hair.

Nails- helps protecting the distal phalanx, the fingertip, and the surrounding soft tissues from
injuries. It also serves to enhance precise delicate movements of the distal digits through counter-
pressure exerted on the pulp of the finger.
Ordinary nails grows only about 1 millimeter per week.

Parts of the Nail

Nail Matrix- creates new skin cells, which pushes out the old, dead skin cells to make
your nails.
Nail Root- as the nail grows, new nail plate cells in the nail root push older cells up
the nail plate.
Cuticles- help to protect the new nail as it grows out from the nail root.
Lunula- is nail plate which is slightly hypopigmented than nail. The lunula contains stem cells
and nail plate matrix which helps the growth of the nail. If it gets damaged your nail cant grow
well.

Glands- the skin are groups of cells specialized to produce and secrete a substance into ducts.

Sweat Glands- or Sudorifesuos glands, are present in all regions of the skin.

Eccrine Glands- these are the true sweat glands in the sense of helping to regulate body
temperature.

Apocrine Glands- the glands largely responsible for body smells, as their excretions are
converted by skin bacteria into various chemicals we associated with body odor.

Sebaceous Glands- serve to protect the body against microorganisms.Sebaceous glands secrete
acids that form the acid mantle. This is a thin, slightly acidic film on the surface of the skin that
acts as a barrier to microbes that might penetrate the skin.

Mammary Glands- are modified aprocrine sweat glands that produce milk only after childbirth.

Ceruminous glands- produce earwax which keeps the outer surface of the eardrum pliable and
prevents drying.

Disorders of the Skin

 Athlete’s Foot- caused by a fungal infection that usually involved the skin of the toes and
soles.
Impetigo- a highly contagious disease occurring most often in young children.
Candidiasis- caused by yeast organism, which develops in moist areas such as the diaper area
in infants.
Eczema- an inflammation of the skin, caused by sensitivity to various chemicals.
Urticaria- also known as Hive, is an allergic reaction characterized by the appearance of
reddish, elevated patches and often by itching.
SKIN CANCER- is categorized as either melanoma or nonmelanoma.
It also begins with the mutation of the skin cell DNA.

Nonmelanoma Cancers which includes Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcimona
are much less likely than melanoma cancer metastasize.

Basal Cell Carcinoma- begins when ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes epidermal basal cells to
form a tumor, at the same time suppressing the immune system’s ability to detect tumor.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma- begins in the superficial cells of the epidermis. It, too, is trigered
by UV radiation.

Melanoma- the type that is more likely maliganant that starts in the melonocytes and looks
like an unusual mole.

Kaposi’s Sarcoma- a form of skin cancer that is most commonly seen in patients with AIDS,
and others whose immune system defenses are weakened or nonfunctional.

Strategies to Prevent all Forms of Skin Cancer

• Use broad-spectrum sunscreen with sun-protective factor (SPF) 0f at least 15.

• Wear protective clothing: long-sleeved shirts, wide brimmed hats.
• Wear sunglasses that reflects both forms of UV radiation.
• Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m and 3 p.m
• Avoid tanning machines.

Wound Healing

Injury to the skin will cause an inflammatory response, characterized by redness, swelling,
heat, and pain. Awound punctures a blood vessel will fill with blood. Chemicals released by
damaged tisuues celss will cause the blood to clot. To clot prevents pathagens and toxins from
spreading to other tissues.

Aging occurs when:

The epidermis maintains its thickness, but the rate of cell mitosis decreases.
Dermis becomes thinner, dermal papillae flatten, skin looser.
Adipose tissue in the hypodemis of the face and hands also decreases.
Fibers within the dermis change with age.
 The collagenous fibers becomes coarser, thicker, and farther apart.
The skin wrinkles because (1) the epidermis is loose, (2) the dermal fibers are fewer and those
remaining are disorganized, (3) the hypodermis has less padding.
The number of hair follicles decreases.
The ski tends to crack.
The number of melanocytes decreases.

Homeostasis

Homeostasis is a characteristic of a system that regulates its internal environment and tends to
maintain a stable, relatively constant condition of properties. The normal value of a physiological
variable is called its set point.

The purpose of homeostasis is to maintain a normal balance within the body regarding its
temperature, salt concentration, water concentration, and food intake. The human
body functions normally with a narrow range of variation for each of these factors.

Function of the skin

Protection - skin forms protective coverin over the whole body, safeguarding underlying parts
from physical trauma.

Regulates Water Loss- since outer skin cells are dead and keratinzed, the skin waterproof,
thereby preventing loss.

Assists the function of Urinary System- sweat glands secrete water from the body through
sensible and insesible perspiration.

Produces Vitamin D- when keratinocyte cells are exposed to sunlight, the ultraviolet (UV) rays
assist them in producing vitamin D from precursor molecule.

Protection - skin forms protective coverin over the whole body, safeguarding underlying parts
from physical trauma.

Regulates Water Loss- since outer skin cells are dead and keratinzed, the skin waterproof,
thereby preventing loss.

Assists the function of Urinary System- sweat glands secrete water from the body through
sensible and insesible perspiration.

Produces Vitamin D- when keratinocyte cells are exposed to sunlight, the ultraviolet (UV) rays
assist them in producing vitamin D from precursor molecule.

Hyperthermia and Hyposthermia

Hyperthermia- a body temperature above normal

Hyperthermia- a body temperature above normal