MT13 Clinical Anatomy and Physiology for Med Lab Science Laboratory Worksheet | SU - ICLS

Activity 2B

The Integumentary System

Name: Ma. Joanna Catherine C. Lopez Lab Time/Date: 9 AM/ September 5, 2020

Exercise 1. Determining the Two-Point Threshold

Materials: Ruler
Paper Clip
Partner/Patient

The density of the touch receptors varies significantly in different areas of the body. In general, areas
that have the greatest density of tactile receptors have. Heightened ability to “feel”. These areas correspond to
areas that receive the greatest motor innervation; thus, they are also typically areas of fine motor control. Let’s
check it out.

Procedure:
1. Get a piece of paper clip and reform it that it may look like a caliper. Using the reformed paper clip and
a metric ruler, test the ability of the subject to differentiate two distinct sensations when the skin is
touched simultaneously at two points. The subject’s eyes should be closed during testing. Beginning
with the face, start with the paper clip’s arms completely together. Gradually increase the distance
between the points, testing the subject’s skin after each adjustment. Continue with this testing procedure
until the subject reports that two-points of contact can be felt. Measure the distance of the paperclip at
which two points of contact can be felt. That measurement is the two-point threshold.

2. Repeat this procedure on the back of the palm of the hand, fingertips, lips, back of the neck, and ventral
forearm. Record your results in the Activity 2B chart.

Activity 2Ba: Determining Two-Point Threshold

Body Area Tested Two-point threshold

(millimeters)
Face 16 mm
Back of Hand 22 mm
Palm of Hand 26 mm
Fingertips 4 mm
Lips 7 mm
Back of neck 19 mm
Ventral forearm 13 mm
 MT13 Clinical Anatomy and Physiology for Med Lab Science Laboratory Worksheet | SU - ICLS

Follow up Question:

Which area has the smallest two-point threshold?

The area that with the smallest two-point body threshold is the fingertips.

Exercise 2.

Materials: Marker (black, felt-tip)

Ruler
Partner/Patient

Tactile localization is the ability to determine which portion of the skin has been touched. The tactile
receptor field of the body of the periphery has a corresponding “touch” field in the brain. Some body areas
are well represented with touch receptors in other body areas allows only crude discrimination.

Procedure:
1. The subject’s eyes should be closed during the testing. The experimenter touches the palm
of the subject’s hand with a pointed black felt-tip marker. The subject should then try to
touch the exact point with his or her own marker, which should be a different color.
Measure the area of localization in millimeters.

2. Repeat the test in the same spot twice more, recording the error of localization for each
test. Average the results of the three determinations and record it in the Activity 2Bb
Chart. Please round off all answers to two decimal places.

3. Repeat the above procedure on a fingertip, the ventral forearm, the back of the hand, and
the back of the neck. Record the average results in the Activity 2Bb chart.

Activity 2Bb: Testing Tactile Localization

Body area tested Average error of

localization (millimeters)
Palm of hand 2 mm

Fingertip 4.5 mm
Ventral forearm 21.5 mm
Back of hand 9 mm
Back of nech 17 mm
Example: 1st trial: 1mm ; 2nd trial: 2mm; 3rd trial 1mm = 4mm/3 = 1.33mm (error of localization)
Follow up question:

Which area has the smallest error of localization (is most sensitive to touch)?

The area that has the smallest error of localization is the fingertips.
MT13 Clinical Anatomy and Physiology for Med Lab Science Laboratory Worksheet | SU - ICLS
Exercise 3: The Skin

1. Using the key choices, choose all responses that apply to the following descriptions. (Some
choices may be used more than once.)

Key: stratum basale stratum lucidum reticular layer

stratum corneum stratum spinosum epidermis (as a whole)
Stratum granulosum papillary layer dermis (as a whole)

stratum lucidum 1. Layer containing sacs filled with fatty material and keratin subunits

stratum corneum and stratum lucidum 2. Dead cells

papillary layer 3. The more superficial dermis layer

epidermis 4. Avascular region

epidermis 5. Major skin area where derivatives (nails and hair) are located

stratum basale 6. Epidermal region exhibiting the most mitoses

stratum corneum 7. Most superficial epidermal layer

dermis 8. Has abundant elastic and collagenic fibers

stratum basale 9. Region where melanocytes are most likely to be found

stratum corneum 10. Accounts for most of the epidermis

2. Name four protective functions of the skin:

The skin functions by insulating and cushioning the underlying body tissues, synthesizing Vitamin that’s
needed for the body, protecting the body from external damage and allowing us to sense, touch and enjoy the
environment.

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