Learning Activity #5: CRITICAL THINKING

1. What secretion is being produced by the sebaceous gland? What is the function of
the secretion?

Sebaceous glands produce and secrete sebum. Sebum is composed of several types of lipids
such as fatty acids, waxes, and cholesterol. According to Harvard Medical School (2019), the
skin’s top layer must preferably contain between 20% to 35% water. The secretion of this oily
substance by the sebaceous glands helps skin be more flexible, prevents water loss, moisturizes
hair, and keeps the skin from drying and becoming flaky. When skin is dry, it is inclined to crack
more easily (Scanlon & Sanders, 2006). These cracks could act as a way for bacteria to enter the
skin. Thus, sebum also hinders the growth of bacteria on the surface of the skin.

2. Which glands of the skin are responsible for cooling the body? Why?

The glands of the skin responsible for cooling the body are the merocrine (eccrine) sweat
glands. These glands are divided into two parts: the coiled portion which produces a fluid
composed of water and some salts, and the duct which transports this fluid to the surface of the
skin (Seeley et al., 2016). When body temperature gets too high and deviates from its normal
range, the eccrine glands secrete this liquid. The sweat proceeds to evaporate in the atmosphere,
removing excess body heat and cooling the body. In an article by the Mayo Clinic in 2019, the
inability to sweat can be fatal as it may lead to the overheating of the body or even heat stroke.
This depicts why eccrine glands cool the body: to regulate temperature and maintain homeostasis
in the body.

3. Which glands are involved in the production of our body odor? Explain. Why?

The apocrine sweat glands are involved in the production of body odor. They become active
through sex hormones released during puberty (Seeley et al., 2016) which explains why body
odor is usually prominent during adolescence. These glands release a secretion that is full of
fatty acids or lipids. According to Scanlon and Sanders (2006), these secretions naturally have an
odor, though it is perceptible only by other animals. It is only when they gather on the skin and
are metabolized by bacteria that the odor begins to intensify. These bacteria break down the
chemicals in the secretion and produce waste products that give off the distinct smell of body
odor. Thus to control it would require methods to either kill the bacteria or make it harder for
them to thrive.

4. Where are ceruminous and mammary glands located? What secretions do they
produce?

Ceruminous glands are located in the external auditory canal and produce cerumen or more
commonly referred to as earwax. According to Staab (2016), the ear canal houses two exocrine
glands: the sebaceous glands and the apocrine sweat glands (cerumen glands). Cerumen is
produced when the secretions of both the ceruminous glands and the sebaceous glands combine.
It acts as a kind of barrier to prevent dirt, insects, and other particles from moving deeper into the
ear canal. On the other hand, mammary glands are located in the breasts. In females, they
produce milk. According to (Mandal, 2019), the female breast is regulated by hormones such as
estrogen, growth hormone, and prolactin during pregnancy. Of these three, prolactin is what
stimulates milk production which is useful to feed babies after birth.

5. In a third-degree burn, why is skin graft usually performed? How is it being done?

A skin graft is usually performed in third-degree burns to speed up the healing process and
prevent complications. According to Kramer (2013), open third-degree burns tend to result in
wound infections and fluid loss. These can have life-threatening effects on the body. Wound
infections can lead to blood poisoning if bacteria enter the bloodstream and fluid loss can lead to
a decrease in blood flow, tissue damage, and even death. To counter this, these wounds are
covered through skin grafts which involve surgically taking a piece of skin from another part of
the body and using it to cover the burned area (Simko, n.d.). Most commonly cut from the thigh
or mid-back using an instrument called a dermatome, the undamaged skin will then be dressed
and stitched on the area that needs covering.

6. Why are third-degree burns so traumatic? Explain.

Third-degree burns are so traumatic because it destroys the full depth of the skin - from the
epidermis, dermis, and even deeper tissue – and can have physical life-threatening effects for the
victim. Scanlon and Sanders (2006) depict how bacterial infection, due to the loss of the stratum
corneum in the epidermis, can lead to septicemia. This is when microbes enter the bloodstream
and spread throughout the body. A major burn injury can also increase the permeability of
capillaries which leads to a loss of fluid that can decrease blood volume (Seeley et al., 2016).
When this happens, the body would not be able to have as much oxygen and nutrients to function
normally which could result in tissue damage, shock, or in worst cases, death. Psychologically,
victims may also experience delirium and brief psychotic reactions from infection (Dalal et al.,
2010) and struggle through the depression and anxiety associated with such a traumatic situation.

7. Explain why adolescents experience more acne than adults? How does acne occur
and what are its management?

Adolescents experience more acne than adults due to the increased amount of androgen
hormones. According to Surofchy (2019), hormonal levels in adults tend to be more consistent as
opposed to the surge experienced by adolescents going through puberty. So while some adults
can experience acne, it will most likely be less severe than those experienced by adolescents.
Hormones like testosterone cause the production of an excess amount of sebum, the oily
substance secreted by sebaceous glands. This excess sebum can plug the hair follicles the
sebaceous glands are attached to, causing acne (Jaliman, 2019). These can then become inflamed
or infected by bacteria that come in contact with it. Treating acne will depend on how severe it
is. According to the National Health Service (2019), mild acne can be treated using gels and
creams while more severe acne will require prescription medicine. Most of these treatments
revolve around reducing the amount of sebum produced and killing bacteria that can infect
plugged follicles.

8. Is the sweat gland an exocrine or endocrine gland? Please explain by contrasting

and comparing them.

The sweat gland is an exocrine gland. Though exocrine and endocrine glands both consist
mostly of epithelial tissue and release chemical substances, they differ in terms of what they
release and how they release it. According to John and Ebling (2017), the glands of the skin are
considered exocrine since they secrete sweat through ducts externally on the surface of the body.
More specifically, sweat glands consist of a coil and a duct. Depending on what type of gland,
products such as sweat and sebum are secreted. These will then accumulate or get evaporated on
the surface of the skin. These characteristics are what define an exocrine gland. On the other
hand, an endocrine gland does not have a duct, the products it secretes are exclusively hormones,
and they get released internally through the bloodstream to the desired organ (“Difference
between Endocrine and Exocrine Glands, n.d.).

9. What changes occur in the integumentary system as the body ages?

As the body ages, there is an increase in the likelihood of skin damage and infections.
According to Seeley et al. (2016), the epidermis becomes thinner over time and the amount of
collagen (the main structural protein in the dermis) decreases. Because of this, the skin becomes
more fragile and susceptible to infections. The rate of skin repair over time also decreases, even
up to 4 times slower, depending on other factors that come with age (Martin et al., 2018). It
becomes more easily damaged and bruised by simple abrasions. Scanlon and Sanders (2006) also
highlight the decreased activity of the sebaceous and sweat glands as people grow older.
Evaporation of sweat from sweat glands cools the body, so fewer secretions from these glands
make thermoregulation more difficult. When there are fewer secretions from the sebaceous
glands, the skin becomes dry and hair becomes thinner.

10. How is the epithelial root sheath important in the repair of the skin? Explain.

The epithelial root sheath is important in the repair of skin because it is divided into internal
and external parts that contain all the strata found in thin skin (Seeley et al., 2016). These strata
can be found in the external epithelial root sheath. The internal root sheath on the other hand
surrounds and protects growing hair and is located in the lower part of the hair follicle (Joshi,
2011). The amount of hair follicles decreases deeper down until what remains is the stratum
basale. According to Theoret and Stashak (2014), this layer contains keratinocytes that
continuously reproduce and move upward to replace cells that are lost on the surface. As such,
in cases when skin repair is necessary like in wound healing, these keratinocytes can be used to
form a new layer of epithelium.
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Difference between Endocrine and Exocrine Glands (n.d.). Biology Retrieved from Discussion.

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