The Integumentary System of the

Animal Kingdom
 Integumentary System
 Integument- the external covering of an animal

• consists of the:
– Skin- major component
– hair
– glands
– nails
 Functions of Integumentary System

• Protection
– Reducing water loss
– Prevents microorganisms and other foreign substances from
entering the body
– Stratified squamous epithelium protects underlying structures
against abrasion
– Melanin absorbs UV light and protects underlying structures
from its damaging effects
– Hair provides protection in a variety of ways
– Nails

• Sensation
 Reception of environmental stimuli, such as pain, temperature, and
pressure
 Functions of Integumentary System

• Vitamin D production
– When the skin is exposed to UV light, a precursor molecule of
vitamin D is formed
– The precursor is carried by the blood to the liver where it is
modified, and to the kidney where the precursor is modified
further to form active vitamin D.

• Excretion
– Sweat contains small amounts of waste products, such as
urea, uric acid, and ammonia

• Temperature regulation
 Mammalian Skin

 The notable features of

mammalian skin are:
 hair
 highly stratified, cornified
epidermis
 dermis- thickest portion
 greater variety of epidermal
glands than in any other
vertebrate class
 The Skin
• the largest organ in
the body and made up
of two major layers:
– epidermis
– dermis
Mammalian Skin
 Epidermis
• the most superficial layer of the skin
• a stratified squamous KERATINIZED epithelium; in its
deepest layers, new cells are produced by mitosis
• undergoes keratinization- cells change shape and composition
and become filled with the protein keratin, which makes them
hard  prevents water loss and abrasion
• all but the deepest layers are composed of dead cells
• no blood vessels
Layers of the Epidermis
 Cells of the Epidermis

• keratinocytes- 90% of epidermal

cells

• melanocytes- 8% of epidermal
cells

• Langerhan’s cells- protective

macrophagic cells that ingest
bacteria and other foreign debris

• Merkel cells- aid in tactile

(touch) reception
 Stratum corneum
• “horned layer”
• outermost layer of the
epidermis
• consists of 25 or more
layers of dead squamous
cells (corneocytes) filled
with keratin which gives
the layer its strength
• Desquamation (shedding
of dead skin cells) happens
here
 Stratum lucidum

• Latin for "clear layer”

– a thin, clear layer of dead
skin cells
• contains a translucent
substance called eleidin
• exists only in the lips and
the thickened skin of
soles and palms
 Stratum granulosum

• granular layer due to the

presence of keratohyaline
granules
 Stratum spinosum

• the "spinous" or "prickle-

cell" layer due
to desmosomal connections
of adjacent cells and
changed shape of
keratinocytes
 Stratum germinativum (basale)

• deepest layer of the epidermis

• consists of cuboidal or columnar
cells
• undergo mitotic divisions
• Keratinization begins in this
layer
• Other types of cells found
– melanocytes (pigment-
producing cells)
– Langerhans cells (immune
cells)
– Merkel cells (touch receptors)
– Keratinocytes
 Dermis

• known as the “true skin”

• dense collagenous connective tissue
• 10-20 times thicker than
epidermis
• Nerves, hair follicles, smooth
muscles, glands, and lymphatic
vessels extend into the dermis
• collagen and elastic fibers are
responsible for the structural
strength of the dermis
 Regions of the dermis
• Papillary region
– areolar connective tissue
– dermal papillae
• Responsible for fingerprints and
footprints.
– Meissner’s corpuscles- touch
receptors
– Free nerve endings (pain receptors)

• Reticular region
– dense collagenous irregular
connective tissue
– receives its name from the dense
concentration of collagen, elastic,
and reticular fibers that weave
throughout it.
Hypodermis (subcutaneous tissue)
• not part of the skin, and lies
below the dermis.

• its purpose is to attach the skin to

underlying bone and muscle as well
as supplying it with blood vessels
and nerves.

• it consists of loose connective

tissue and elastin, and contains
about half the stored fat

• functions as shock absorber

(padding) and insulation to
conserve body heat
Hypodermis
 Types of Skin

• hirsute skin  glabrous skin

 thick, hairless skin forming the
– thin, hairy skin covering a surfaces of the palms, soles and
greater part of the body the flexor surfaces of the digits
 Coloration of the Skin
• MELANIN
– brown-black pigment produced by
the melanocytes of stratum basale
– Responsible for the color of the skin,
eyes, and hair.
– guards skin against the damaging
effect of ultraviolet rays of sunlight

– Large amounts of melanin form

freckles or moles Darkened areas
in the genitalia, the nipples, and the
circular areas around the nipple.
– Less melanin-lips, palms of the Differences in skin color among human
hands, and soles of the feet races is due primarily to the amount
of melanin produced by
melanocytes
ACCESORY SKIN STRUCTURES
Hair
• filamentous keratinized structures
present over most of the body
surface
• found everywhere on the skin,
except:
– on the palms and soles
– Lips
– nipples
– parts of the genitalia (labia
minora and penis)
– distal segments of the fingers
and toes
• Men with more obvious hair
because of the male hormone
testosterone
 Parts of the hair
• hair shaft
– the visible but dead portion of
hair projecting above the
surface of the skin

• hair root
– below the skin surface;
enclosed in the follicle

• hair bulb
– rests on the dermal papilla; the
growth zone where the hair
is produced; contains
melanocytes that gives color to
the hair
 Hair follicle

• Each hair arises from a hair

follicle, an extension of the
epidermis that originates deep in
the dermis
 Functions of Hair
• Primary function of hair: PROTECTION (scalp hair and eyebrows
are protection from the sunlight)
• Lubrication to decrease friction (e.g. armpit and pubic areas)
• stops or slows bacteria from touching our private parts
 Arrector pili muscle

• muscle attached to hair follicles

• When arrector pili muscle contracts:
– The hair shaft is pulled
perpendicular to the skin surface
(stand on one end).
– Movement of the hair follicle
causes "goose bumps".
 Sebaceous (oil) glands
• simple, branched acinar
glands
• most are connected by a
duct to the superficial part
of a hair follicle
• found all over the skin,
except palms and soles
• produce sebum, an oily,
white substance rich in
lipids.
– Sebum waterproofs and
lubricates the skin and hair
of mammals.
 Merocrine (eccrine) sweat glands
• simple, coiled, tubular glands
• located in almost every part of the
skin but most numerous in the
palms and soles, forehead and
back.
• have ducts that open onto the
surface of the skin through sweat
pores
 Apocrine sweat glands

• simple, coiled, tubular glands that

produce a thick secretion rich in organic
substances
• open into hair follicles, but only in the
armpits and genitalia
• consist of a basal secretory coil and a
straight duct which opens in the pilary canal
above the duct of sebaceous gland, or
directly onto the skin surface if there is no
associated hair
• with minimal activity before
puberty
– becomes active at puberty because of the
influence of sex hormones
• Responsible for bad odor
 Nail
• a thin, plate, consisting of layers of dead
stratus corneum cells that contain a very
hard type of keratin
• found on the dorsum of each fingers and
toes
• Parts of the Nail:
– Nail body (plate)
– Nail root
– Nail bed-
– Nail matrix- the growth area of the
nail
– Free edge
– Hyponychium
– Cuticle (eponychium)
– Lunula- small part of the nail matrix
that can be seen through as a whitish,
crescent-shaped (half-moon)area
at the base of the nail.
 Nail growth
• The nail matrix and nail bed are epithelial tissue with a stratum basale
that gives rise to the cells form the nail.
• The nail matrix is thicker than the nail bed and produces most of the
nail. Cell production in the nail matrix causes the nail to grow.
• Determined by the turnover rate of the matrix cells, which varies with:
– Digit
– Age
– environmental temperature and season
– time of day
– nutritional status
– trauma, and various diseases
• Fingernails grow approximately 1mm per week and grows 3-4 times
faster than toenails.
Integumentary Systems of Invertebrates

 The integument of many

invertebrates consists of a simple
layer of columnar epithelial cells
(epidermis) resting on a basement
membrane.

 A thin layer of connective tissue lies

under the basement membrane.
 Functions of Integumentary System

 In lower animals
 Locomotion
 Movement of nutrient and gases (in some animals)
 Respiration (in some animals like frogs and toads)
 Poriferan integument

 Simple epidermal layer composed of

a single layer of flat, plate-like cells.
 Pinacocytes or epithelial cells
 Mesenchyme or amoeboid cells
 Choanocytes or collar cells

 Specialized pore cells are

interspersed to allow water enter
the sponge.
 Cnidarian integument

 Simple, single layer like epidermis.

 Many of the epidermal cells have
been specialized into cnidocytes.
 Cnidocytes contain poisonous
stinging structures known as
nematocysts.

 Other cnidarians (e.g. the corals)

have mucous glands that secrete a
calcium carbonate shell.
 Platyhelminth integument
 The epidermis is composed of a wholly or
partially ciliated, syncytial or cellular
epithelium, with gland cells and
sensory nerve endings.

 Parasitic forms (flukes and tapeworms)

have a TEGUMENT.
 This is formed of non ciliated
cytoplasmic extensions of large cells
whose bodies lie in the mesenchyme.
 Its main functions are nutrient
ingestion and protection against
digestion by host enzymes as well as
allowing gas exchange.
Nematode and Annelid integument

 Nematodes and annelids have an

epidermis that is one cell thick and
secretes a cuticle that has many
layers.

 Annelid skin can not be too thick

as they depend upon their skin for
respiration (gas exchange).
 Molluscan integument

 A single layer of epidermal cells is

covered externally by a calcareous
shell secreted by the mantle
 The shell is mainly composed of
calcium carbonate
 Arthropod
integument

 a single layer of epidermal cell secrets a

chitinous exoskeleton.
 Also possess cuticle
 In crustaceans, arachnids and
insects cuticles are thick and
rigid and support the body.
 Disadvantage of cuticles: Animals
have difficulty growing within them.
 molting or ecdysis.
 Echinoderm integument

 The body is covered by a soft

epidermis over a firm skeleton of
movable or fixed lime plates
provided with spines.

 In other echinoderms, the

integument is leathery due to
the presence of spicules.
The Integumentary of the Vertebrates

 Skin- the vertebrate integument.

 It is the largest organ of the
vertebrate body and grows with the
animal.

 Vertebrate skin has two main

layers:
 Epidermis
 Dermis
 Skin of Cartilaginous Fishes
 The skin of cartilaginous fishes
(e.g. sharks) is multilayered and
contains mucous and sensory
cells.

 The dermis contains bone in the

form of small placoid scales
called denticles.
 Denticles contain blood vessels and
nerves and similar to vertebrate
teeth.
 sandpaper texture
 Skin of Bony Fishes
 The skin of bony fishes contains scales composed of dermal bone.
 In many bony fishes, growth lines, which are useful in determining the
age of a fish, can often be detected.
 The skin of bony fishes is permeable and functions in gas
exchange, particularly in the smaller fishes that have a large skin
surface area relative to body volume
Integumentary Systems of Invertebrates
 Amphibian Skin

 consists of stratified epidermis and a

dermis containing mucous and serous
glands plus pigmentation cells.

 Within the dermis, are poison glands

that produce an unpleasant-tasting or
toxic fluid that acts as a predator
deterrent.
 Interestingly, the “warts” of toads seem
to be specialized sensory structures,
since they contain many sensory cells.
Amphibian Skin
 Reptilian skin

 The outer layer of the epidermis

(stratum corneum) is thick, lacks
glands, and is modified into
keratinized scales, scutes
(thick scales) in snakes and
turtles.

 The thick keratinized layer resists

abrasion, inhibits dehydration,
and protects like a suit of armor.
 Avian (Bird) skin
 The skin of birds shows many
typical reptilian features with no
epidermal glands.

 Over most of the bird’s body, the

epidermis is usually thin and only
two or three cell layers thick.
 The most prominent parts of the
epidermis are the feathers.
 Feathers are the most complex of
all the derivatives of the vertebrate
stratum corneum.
Avian (Bird) skin