INTEGUMENTARY

SYSTEM
- The integumentary system is made up of the skin, hair, nails, sebaceous glands, ceruminous or wax
glands in the ear canal, and sweat glands.

• FUNCTION
1. Sensa(on
- Receptor sites for changes in temperature (hot and cold) and pressure (pleasure and pain) are found in
the skin.
- CombinaIons of sImulaIons result in the sensaIons of itching, burning, and Ickling.
2. Protec(on
- The skin prevents the entrance of harmful physical and chemical agents into the body
- Melanin protects us from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.
- The lipid content of skin prevents excessive water and electrolyte loss.
- The acidic pH of skin kills most bacteria and microorganisms that come in contact with our skin.
- Hair acts as an insulator, protects our eyes, and filters out foreign parIcles in our nose.
3. Thermoregula(on
- Normal body temperature is regulated by blood vessel dilaIon and constricIon in the dermis of
the skin.
- SweaIng is an evaporaIon process that cools the body.
4. Secre(on
- Sebum has anIfungal and anIbacterial properIes.
- Sweat contains waste products such as urea, uric acid, and ammonia, so it is also an excreIon.
- The skin manufactures vitamin D through exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun.
5. Vitamin D Produc(on

▪ SKIN
- The skin is waterproof, it protects us from ultraviolet radiaIon, and through sweaIng it dissipates water
and helps regulate body temperature.
- Largest organ of the body
- 3 DIVISIONS: 1. Epidermis, 2. Dermis and 3. Hypodermis or Subcutaneous Tissue (note- the two major
layers are epidermis and dermis)
▪ EPIDERMIS
- The epidermis is composed of straIfied, squamous, keraInized epithelium.
- Avascular > no blood vessel aTached
- As cells move up to the surface of the epidermis they lose water, and their nuclei change chemically, a
process called kera<niza<on
- It receives most abrasion and weight (eg. Palms of the hands and soles of the feet)
Kera%n – a protein material which is the component of outermost skin and hair
Desmosomes - interlocking cellular links which held the cells together

▪ 5 LAYERS
- COME LETS GET SUN BURNED!
1. Stratum Corneum
- Horny Layer
- It consists of dead cells converted to protein or keraInized cells that constantly are being shed.
- KeraInized Cells > due to the loss of fluid
- It is a barrier to light and heat waves, most chemicals, and microorganisms.
- Consists of 25 – 30 layers of dead cells
2. Stratum Lucidum
- Clear layer
- Contains 2-3 layers
- This layer is only one or two flat and transparent layers of cells thick. It is difficult to see.
3. Stratum Granulosum
- Grainy Layer
- This layer is two or three layers of cells thick and is very acIve in keraInizaIon.
Keratohyolin – helps in keraInizaIon
4. Stratum Spinosum
- Contain 8-10 layers
- This layer consists of several layers of spiny-shaped polyhedron-like cells
- The interlocking cellular bridges or desmosomes are found in this layer
- Where Langerhans cells can be found
Langerhans cells – ingesIng unwanted materials for immune protecIon
 5. Stratum Germina(vum or Basale
- This layer rests on the basement membrane. Its lowermost layer of cells is called the stratum basale
- This layer is the layer that produces new epidermal cells by mitosis.
- Consists of melanocytes and Merkel cells
Melanocytes – produce or synthesizes melanin (pigment that is responsible for skin color and protecIon
from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun)
- Dark-skinned individuals have more acIve melanocytes.
Merkel cells – combine w/ nerve endings to create a sensory receptors for touch
Epidermal Ridges – found below the basal layer (downward)
Dermal Papillae – The layer which is above the epidermal ridges
- The uppermost part of the dermis

▪ DISEASES
Albinism – is a geneIc condiIon that results from the absence of melanin.
Callus – Thickened area of the stratum corneum due to fricIon
Dandruff – Excessive sloughing of stratum corneum cells

▪ DERMIS
- The dermis is also called the corium or true skin and is composed of dense connecIve Issue (areolar
Issue)
- Located between the epidermis and hypodermis
- Blood and lymph vessels, nerves, muscles, glands, and hair follicles are found in the dermis.
- 2 DIVISION: the papillary porIon below the epidermis and the reIcular porIon above the
subcutaneous Issue.

▪ LAYERS
1. Papillary Layer
- Adjacent to the epidermis
Papillary loops – Small blood vessels that carry blood in the papillae of the skin
- Found under the dermal ridges
- Regulate body temp.
2. Re(cular Layer
- Found bet. The papillary layer and hypodermis
- Consists of connecIve Issue (dense irregular collagen and elasIc Issue)
 - Contains large blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerve fibers (pain receptors / free nerve ending)

▪ HYPODERMIS
- Also known as subcutaneous Issue
- Consists of areolar and adipose Issue
- Site of subcutaneous injecIon or hypodermic injecIon
- Few capillaries w/ no vital organs

• APPENDAGES OF THE SKIN

- The appendages of the skin include hair, nails, sebaceous glands, ceruminous or wax glands, and sweat
glands.

▪ SEBACEOUS GLANDS
- Sebaceous glands produce sebum and are found along the walls of hair follicles.
Sebum – an oil white substance rich in lipids, gives a cosmeIc gloss to skin and moisturizes it. Inhibits bacteria.
Lubricates and protect the epidermis
- Sebaceous secreIon is controlled by the endocrine system, increasing during puberty and late
pregnancy and decreasing with age.
- Can be found aTached on the hair follicle

▪ SUDORIFEROUS GLANDS
- Sweat glands are simple tubular glands found most numerous in the palms of our hands and in the soles
of our feet.
- Produces sweat
- Sodium Chloride > main component of sweat
- The secretory, blind tube porIon of a sweat gland is in the subcutaneous (ssue. The excretory porIon
goes through the dermis to the surface.
- The odor of sweat is produced by the acIon of bacteria feeding on the sweat
- SweaIng is an important physiologic process that helps cool the body.
- TYPES OF SWEAT GLANDS
1. Apocrine
- Found in armpits
- They become acIve at puberty and contribute to the development of body odor.
 2. Merocrine
- Eccrine gland
- Coiled tubular glands
- Sensible for perspiraIon
- Discharge sweat directly into the skin surface
- FUNCTION > 1. Cools skin
2. Excretes water and electrolytes
3. Flushes microorganism and harmful chemical from skin

▪ CERUMINOUS GLAND
- Produces cerumen (or earwax) > protecIon of the ears
- Found inside the ears

▪ HAIR
- Hair covers the enIre body except the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and parts of the
external genitalia.
- Each individual hair is made of three parts: the outer cuIcle, the cortex, which is the principal porIon
with pigment granules, and the inner medulla with air spaces.
Hair ShaD – visible porIon of a hair
- Upper part of the hair or above the skin surface not aTached to the integumentary
Arrector Pili – involuntary smooth muscle contracts, it causes a hair to stand on end and causes
“goose flesh.”
Hair Root – Hair below the skin surface which is found in the epidermal tube (hair follicle)
Hair Follicle – Located deep in the dermis
- Produced non-living hair
- Consists of sensory nerve below and artery veins
- Made of an outer connecIve Issue sheath and an inner epithelial membrane conInuous with
the stratum basale
o HAIR GROWTH
- Hair growth begins with the cells deep in the hair follicle at the hair bulb growing by mitosis and
nourished by blood vessels.
- Hair grows in cycles and rests between cycles.
o HAIR TEXTURE
- Hair texture can be classified as straight, curly, or Ightly curly, and is due to geneIc factors.
 - Hair in the alpha keraIn chain is elasIc; when stretched, it is in the beta keraIn chain.

o HAIR COLOR
- Hair color is determined by complex geneIc factors.
- Gray hair occurs when pigment is absent in the cortex.
- White hair results from both the absence of pigment and air bubbles in the shai.
- Heredity and other unknown factors cause hair to turn gray.

▪ NAILS
- A nail is a modificaIon of epidermal cells (dead stratum corneum) made of very hard keraIn.
- No producIon of melanin but over producIon of keraIn
- The lunula is the white crescent at the proximal end of a nail caused by air mixed with the keraIn.
- The nail body is the visible porIon of a nail.
- The nail root is the part covered by skin.
- The nail grows from the nail bed.
- The cu<cle is stratum corneum that extends over the nail body.
- As we age, the rate of growth of nails slows