ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY OF

THE INTEGUMENT SYSTEM

DR. BEDA OLABU
 2 LECTURE OBJECTIVES
1. Components of the integument system
2. Microscopic organization of the integument system
✓ Structure, cell types and layers of the epidermis
✓ Parts and components of the dermis
✓ Structure of the mammary gland
3. Development and malformations of the integument
system
4. Functions of the skin
5. Mechanisms of thermoregulation
3 COMPONENTS OF THE INTEGUMENT SYSTEM
Skin and its appendages

Appendages of the skin:

Hair

Nails

Glands – Sweat glands, sebaceous glands,

mammary gland
4 GENERAL STRUCTURE OF THE SKIN
1. Epidermis – an epithelial
layer
2. Dermis – a connective
tissue layer
Anchored together via
epidermal pegs &
dermal papillae
Hypodermis – adipose
layer beneath the dermis
5 STRUCTURE OF THE EPIDERMIS
Stratified squamous
Keratinized epithelium

There are two types of

skin based on epidermis:
thick (glabrous) & thin
skin
6 STRUCTURE OF THE EPIDERMIS
Cell of the epidermis:
Keratinocytes

Melanocytes

Langerhans' cells

Merkel’s cells
7 LAYERS OF THE EPIDERMIS
Stratum:
a) Basale/germinativum

b) Spinosum

c) Granulosum

d) Lucidum*

e) Corneum
8 STRUCTURE OF THE DERMIS
Connective tissue layer

Primarily confers strength

Dermis has two parts:

1. Papillary dermis

2. Reticular dermis
9 SWEAT GLANDS
Simple tubular coiled glands
Secretory portions in the dermis
or dermo-hypodermal junctions
Eccrine types: watery secretion,
direct to the skin surface
Apocrine types: mucoid
secretion, along a hair follicle
10 THE FEMALE BREAST
Location and extents:
Anterior chest wall

2nd to 6th rib

Lateral sternal border to mid-

axillary line

Nipple at the 4th intercostal

space, midclavicular line
11 THE FEMALE BREAST
Parts and quadrants:
Nipple areolar complex

Retro-mammary space

The four quadrants

UOQ extends into the axilla

as the axillary tail (of Spence)
12 THE FEMALE BREAST
Parts and quadrants:
Nipple areolar complex

Retro-mammary space

The four quadrants

UOQ extends into the axilla

as the axillary tail (of Spence)
13 THE FEMALE BREAST
Structure of the breast
Structurally dynamic
organs

Each breast has about

15-20 irregular lobes

A lobe contains several

TDLUs
14
THE FEMALE BREAST
TDLUs are drained by the
lactiferous ducts

The ducts contain ductal

cells and myoepithelial
cells

The ducts drain towards

the nipple
15 THE FEMALE BREAST
Lymphatic drainage:
Extensive drainage

Primarily to axillary & parasternal

lymph nodes

Responsible for breast metastatic

diseases

The sentinel node?

16 THE FEMALE BREAST
Lymphatic drainage:
Extensive drainage

Primarily to axillary &

parasternal lymph nodes

Responsible for breast

metastatic diseases

The sentinel node?

17 DEVELOPMENT OF THE SKIN
Dermis and epidermis have
different embryonic origins

Surface ectoderm – epidermis

(keratinocytes)

Mesoderm – dermis; Langerhans’

cells

Neural crest cells – melanocytes;

Merkel cells
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE EPIDERMIS
Initially covered by a single layer of ectodermal cells

Later divides into two layers

Periderm – layer of flattened cells on the surface

Basal layer – The underlying layer, is responsible for

production of new cells

Epidermal down growth form the exocrine glands

DEVELOPMENT OF THE EPIDERMIS
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAMMARY GLANDS

Bandlike epidermal thickening

- Mammary line or ridge

Base of upper limb to base of

lower limb

Later disappears - thoracic

region persists in humans
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAMMARY GLANDS
FEATURES OF DEVELOPING SKIN
Lanugo Hair Vernix Caseosa
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE SKIN
Vitiligo Albinism
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE SKIN
Melanocytic nevi Port wine stain
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE SKIN
Hypertrichosis Congenital atrichia Alopecia
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE SKIN
Ichthyosis Congenital anonychia
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE SKIN
Polythelia Polymastia
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE SKIN
Polythelia Polymastia
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE SKIN
Amastia Inverted nipple Gynecomastia
CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE SKIN
Amastia Inverted nipple Gynecomastia
 31 FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN
1. Protection against physical injury, UV- radiation,
infective micro-organisms

2. Sensory organ

3. Thermoregulatory functions

4. Metabolism of Vitamin D

5. Excretion of waste products

SENSORY RECEPTORS ON THE SKIN
 NORMAL BODY TEMPERATURE
Normal core body temperature – 36.0-37.5°C

Normal physiological variations:

Circadian fluctuation (0.60C)

Ovulation (0.50C)

First trimester of pregnancy (0.50C)

Children (0.50C)

Exercise (0.50C*)
 REGULATION OF BODY TEMPERATURE

Three mechanisms:

1. Voluntary behavioural mechanisms

2. Local skin temperature reflexes

3. Hypothalamic mechanisms
 HYPOTHALAMIC MECHANISMS
Hypothalamus regulates the body temperature around
37.00C – this is the set point temperature

Relies of input from thermoreceptors; these can be

central and peripheral

Provides efferent responses to various effectors to

restore & maintain normal body temperature
 THERMOREGULATION BY HYPOTHALAMIC
MECHANISMS
Skin Blood
temperature THERMORECEPTORS temperature
PERIPHERAL RECEPTORS CENTRAL RECEPTORS

THERMOREGULATORY CENTRE IN THE HYPOTHALAMUS

CUTANEOUS ARRECTOR SWEAT SKELETAL ADRENAL &

ARTERIOLES PILI MUSCLES GLANDS MUSCLES THYROID
 THERMOREGULATION BY HYPOTHALAMIC
MECHANISMS
HYPOTHALAMIC RESPONSE TO COLD

CUTANEOUS ARRECTOR SWEAT SKELETAL ADRENAL &

ARTERIOLES PILI MUSCLES GLANDS MUSCLES THYROID

HEAT CONSERVATION MECHANISMS HEAT GAIN MECHANISMS

 HYPOTHALAMIC RESPONSE TO COLD

1: Heat conservation: 2: Thermogenesis:

Cutaneous Extra metabolism from
vasoconstriction shivering & increased
Piloerection cellular metabolism
Decreased sweating Thyroid & adrenals
 THERMOREGULATION BY HYPOTHALAMIC
MECHANISMS
HYPOTHALAMIC RESPONSE TO HIGHER TEMPERATURES

CUTANEOUS ARRECTOR SWEAT SKELETAL ADRENAL &

ARTERIOLES PILI MUSCLES GLANDS MUSCLES THYROID

PROMOTE HEAT LOSS MINIMIZE HEAT GAIN

 HYPOTHALAMIC RESPONSE TO HEAT
1: Heat loss mechanisms: 2: Reduce heat gain:
Cutaneous vasodilation
Reduced metabolism
Hair falls

Increased sweating
 PHYSIOLOGY OF FEVER
Abnormal set point
40 temperature
Temperature [0C]

Paracetamol
39

Infection
38
Normal set point
37 temperature
Normal Chills Crisis
36 body stage stage
temp

Time [in hours]

42

THE END