THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM Of all the body systems, the integumentary system isthe only one we see every day. The components ofthis system include the cutaneous membrane, or skin, and the associated hairs nals, and exocrine glands. Thus, when you look at yourself or another person, what you sees the integumentary system and the clothing used to covert ‘Because this part of you is so highly visible, you probably devote alot of time to im~ proving its appearance. Washing your face, brushing and trimming your hair, showering, and applying deodorant are activites that modify the appearance or properties ofthe in~ tegumentary system, And when something goes wrong with this system, the effects are immediately apparent to everyone. You will notice even a minor skin condition or blem- ish at once, whereas you may ignore more serious problems in other systems. This can actually help physicians, because changes in the color, flexibility, elasticity, or sensitivity of the skin can indicate problems with another system, [MI examination of he Sin a 5-1 THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM: AN OVERVIEW Objectives # List the components of the integumentary system, and describe their physical relationship to each other and to the subcutaneous layer. ' Specify the general functions of the Integumentary system, [No other organ system is as accessible, large, varied in function, and underappreciated as the integumentary system, Often referred to simply as the integument (in-TEG-i- ment), this system accounts for about 16 percent of your total body weight. Its surface, 1.5-2 square meters in area, is continuously abused, abraded, attacked by microorgan- isms, irradiated by sunlight, and exposed to environmental chemicals, The integumen- tary system is your first line of defense against an often hostile environment—the place where you and the outside world meet. The integumentary system has two major components: the cutaneous membrane, ot skin, and the accessory structures. 1. The cutaneous membrane itself has two components: the epidermis (epi-, above), o superficial epithelium, and the dermis, an underlying area of connective tissues 155GUUASG | cuapren 5 1H necuwentany system 2. The accessory structures include hair, nails, and multicellular ‘exocrine glands, These structures are located primarily in the dermis and protrude through the epidermis to the skin surface, ‘The integument does not function in isolation. An extensive network of blood vessels branches through the dermis, and sensory receptors that monitor touch, pressure, temperature, and pain provide valuable information to the central nervous system about the state ofthe body. The general structure of the integument is shown in Figure 5-1e. Deep to the dermis, the loose connective tissue of the subcutaneous layer, also known, as the superficial fascia or Hypodermis, separates the integu~ ment from the deep fascia around other organs, such as mus- cles and bones. =». 195 Although the subcutaneous layer is often not considered a part of the integument, we will consider it in this chapter because its connective tissue fibers are inter= ‘woven with those of the dermis ‘The general functions of the skin and subcutaneous layer include: + Protection of underlying tissues and organs against shocks, abrasion, and chemical atack, ‘+ Excretion of salts, water, and organic wastes by integumentary glands. ‘+ Maintenance of normal body temperature through ether insu- lation or evaporative cooling, as needed, Epidermis Papilary layer Demis Subcutaneous layer (ypodermis)| FIGURE 5-1 + Synthesis of vitamin Dy, a steroid that is subsequently convert- ‘ed to the hormone calcitriol, important to normal calcium metabolism, + Storage of nutrients. Lipids are stored in adipocytes ‘mig and in adipose tissue in the subcutaneous layer. + Detection of touch, pressure, pain, and temperature stimuli and. the relaying of that information to the nervous system. (The eu taneous senses, which provide information about the external environment, will be considered further in Chapter 15.) the der- ‘We will now consider the various components ofthe integument, EEE 5-2 THE EPIDERMIS Objectives: * Describe the main structural features of the epidermis, and explain their functional significance. ® Explain what accounts for individual and racial differences, in skin, such as skin color. ® Discuss the effects of ultraviolet radiation on the skin and the role played by melanocytes. The epidermis consists of a stratified squamous epithelium (Figures 5-1 and 5-2e). Recall from Chapter 4 that such an ‘Cutaneous plowusos The Components of the Integumentary System. The ‘ehtionships among the major components of the integumentary system (wth the exception of nails, shown in Figure $13),Epidormis ‘FIGURE 5-2 5-2 Thetpiderms [1570 Thin Skin and Thick Skin. (a) The basic organization of the epidermis. The proportions of the various layers vary with the location sampled. (b) Thin skin cavers mast af the exposed body surface. (e) Thick skin covers the surfaces of the palms and soles, epithelium provides considerable mechanical protection and also helps keep microorganisms outside the body. ». 116 Like all other epithelia, the epidermis is avascular. Lacking blood vessels, the epidermal cells rely on the diffusion of nu- trients and oxygen from capillaries the dermis, As a re- sult, the epidermal cells with the highest metabolic demands are found close to the basal lamina, where the diffusion dis- tance is short. The superficial cells, far removed from the source of nutrients, are either inert or dead. ‘The body's most abundant epithelial cells, called keratinocytes (ker-A-tin-6-sits), form several layers. The precise boundaries be- toveen these layers can be dificult to seein alight micrograph. In ‘thick skin, on the palms ofthe hands and soles ofthe feet, five lay- cers can be distinguished, whereas only four layers are recognizable in the thin skin that covers the rest of the body. The terms thick and thin refer to the relative thickness of the epidermis, not to the integument asa whole. ‘Most of the body is covered by thin skin. Ina sample of thin skin (Figure 5-2a,be), the epidermis is a mere 0.08 mm thick. ‘The epidermis in a sample of thick skin (Figure 5~2ce) can be as thick as 0.5 mm, or the thickness of a standard paper towel. CO LAYERS OF THE EPIDERMIS Figure 5-38 shows the layers in a section of the epidermis of thick skin. The various layers have Latin names. The word stratum (plural, strata) means “layer”; the rest of the name refers to the function or appearance of the layer. In order, from the basal lamina toward the free surface, are the stratum germi- ativan, the stratum spinosum, the stratum granulosum, the stratum lucidum, and the stratum corneum. FIGURE 5-3 The Epidermal Ridges of Thick Skin. Fingerprints reveal the pattern of epidermal ridges. This scanning electron micrograph shows the ridges on a fingertip. The pits are the openings of the ‘ucts of merocrine sweat glands. [Reproduced from R. G. Kessel and RH. Kardon, Tissues and Organs: A Text-Atlas of Scanning Electron Microscopy, W. H. Freeman & Co., 1979], Stratum Germinativum ‘The innermost epidermal layer is the stratum germinativum, (STRA-tum jer-mi-na-TE-vum), or stratwen basale (Figure 5~4e) Hemidesmosomes attach the cells ofthis layer to the basal lamina