Name :Kristine Mae M.

Merhan Date : October 2, 2021 Period:

Anatomy and Physiology Honors – Integumentary System Lab
The Integumentary System
The integumentary system is made up of the skin, hair, nails, sweat glands,
and sebaceous glands. The skin is the largest organ in the body. It makes up
12-15% of body weight and has an entire surface area between 1-2 square
meters. Our skin is our first barrier against infectious disease and prevents
fluid loss from our organs, which allows our body to maintain homeostasis.
The skin contains receptors that detect touch as well as temperature changes.
In order to protect the body from infection, the skin also has an inflammatory
response that is triggered as a result of trauma to the surface. There are three
main layers of the skin, each containing different accessory structures.
Objectives - After completion of this lab, you should be able to:
 Observe and describe the distribution of cutaneous touch and temperature receptors.
 Describe the inflammatory response and determine what triggers it.
 Label the different layers and structures of the skin.

A. Cutaneous Receptors
Touch Receptors: The density of the touch receptors varies significantly in from one part of the body to
another. In general, areas that have the greatest density of tactile receptors have a 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. Areas with a higher density of receptors should allow you to pinpoint
touch more accurately than areas with fewer tactile receptors. Let’s check it out.

Follow the directions below:

1. Obtain a ball point pen and a ruler with millimeter divisions.
2. With your eyes closed, have your lab partner touch the palm of your hand with a pen. The touch should
be gentle enough not to hurt, but firm enough to leave a small mark.
3. Keeping your eyes closed, try to place the tip of the pen on the spot touched by your lab partner. Once
you think you’ve found it, hold it there.
4. Have your lab partner measure the distance in millimeters between the two spots. Record the distance in
the table below.
5. Repeat the steps two more times. Average the results.
6. Repeat the experiment on the back of the hand, a fingertip, the ventral surface of the forearm, and the
back of the neck. Record and average the results.

Table 1.
Distance Between Touch Spot and Guess
Body Region 1st Trial (mm) 2nd Trial (mm) 3rd Trial (mm) Average (mm)
Palm of hand 5mm 16mm 9mm 10mm
Back of hand 5mm 6mm 7mm 6mm
Fingertip 6mm 5mm 4mm 5mm
Forearm 12mm 10mm 6mm 9.33mm
Back of neck 15mm 12mm 5mm 32mm
 Name :Kristine Mae M. Merhan Date : October 2, 2021 Period:
Analysis Questions:
1. Did the distances get smaller by the third trial? In other words, did you get better at pinpointing the spot
touched?
Based on the results, there are instances just like when I measure the distance between touch
spot and guess in the body regions of my fingertip, forearm, and back of neck by the third trial I get
better at pinpointing the spot touched. In the case of the palm and back of my hand I guess it better on
the first trial.

2. Which area was the most sensitive?

If I were going to based it on data that I gathered the most sensitive part is the fingertip and it has
an average milimeter of 5mm. It has the most accurate distance measured compared to the other body
regions.

3. What reason can you give for the difference in sensitivity between the fingertip and the back of the neck?
Why is one area more sensitive than the other?
Some regions of our bodies, such as our fingers and lips, have more touch receptors than others,
such as our backs. That is one reason why our fingers and faces are more responsive to touch than our
backs. The reason behind this is because the receptors in our skin are not distributed in a uniform way
around our bodies.

4. Does the difference in sensitivity between the fingertip and the back of the neck help our bodies to
maintain homeostasis? If so, in what way?
Homeostasis is a property of cells, tissues, and organisms that allows the maintenance
and regulation of the stability and constancy needed to function properly. The difference in
sensitivity between the fingertip and the back of the neck help our bodies to maintain homeostasis
because its sensitivity will determine which part of the body has problems or imbalance. Example
the touch we perceive in our fingertip will signal our brain that we are feeling a sensation of
touch. The receptors sense changes in the environment, sending a signal to the control center which, in
turn, generates a response that is signaled to an effector.

Temperature Receptors: Our skin contains thermoreceptors that sense temperature. Some thermoreceptors
sense heat, while others sense cold. This activity will demonstrate the presence of both types of receptors in
your skin.
Materials:
500ml container hot tap water
500 ml container with ice water
2 glass stirring rods
Roll of masking tape
Paper towels
Follow the directions below:
1. Fill one 500-ml container about halfway with water then add ice. Fill the second 500-ml container
about halfway with hot water (from the tap).
2. In each container, place a thin glass probe. Allow the probe temperature to equilibrate (1 or 2 minutes).
While you’re waiting, use a pen or masking tape to mark off a square (~2cm x 2cm) on the back of your
partner’s hand.
3. Have your partner close his or her eyes. Remove one of the glass probes
(don’t say which one!), wipe it dry with a paper towel, then place it in one
 Name :Kristine Mae M. Merhan Date : October 2, 2021 Period:
corner of the square. Ask your partner to identify whether the sensation is
warm or cool. Record your data in the square below by writing an H where
your partner feels hot and a C where your partner feels cold.
4. Repeat two times with the hot probe and two times with the cold probe in
different locations in the square. Remember not to tell which one you’re
testing.
Analysis Questions:
1. How are thermoreceptors distributed compared to touch receptors?
Thermoreceptors are found all over the body just like touch receptors, there are areas that has a
greater density compared to other body regions.

2. Do you think that your fingertips have more concentrated thermoreceptors than the back of your hand?
Fingertips have more concentrated thermoreceptors than the back of our hand. When an area has
more sensory neurons there is a larger brain area devoted to receiving their signals, meaning more
sensitivity. Most people find that their fingertips are much more sensitive than their back of the hand.
Given how much you use your fingers for, that extra sensitivity makes good sense.

3. How does the presence of thermoreceptors help our bodies to maintain homeostasis?
Thermoreceptors are specialized neurons in the skin that detect temperature changes.
Thermoreceptors are important for detecting temperature changes as part of the process of maintaining
homeostasis so that the body can adjust to these changes for survival.
 Name :Kristine Mae M. Merhan Date : October 2, 2021 Period:

B. Inflammatory Response
The nervous and cardiovascular systems respond to certain stimuli by triggering an inflammatory response.
The stimuli could be an infectious agent, foreign body like a splinter, burns, lacerations, toxins, or even
chemicals. The inflammatory response is the body’s attempt to remove the stimuli and protect the body
from infection. Depending on the severity, the inflammatory response can involve swelling, heat, redness,
and pain. The blood vessels increase blood flow to the inflamed area, causing heat and redness. As the blood
accumulates in the area, it also causes swelling.

Follow the directions below:

Obtain a pencil with an eraser, a timer, and a ruler.

The White Reaction

1. Have the timer ready and drag the eraser lightly across the skin of the forearm.
2. Start the timer.
3. Immediately observe the area that the eraser was dragged over. Watch for a white streak. Record the
time it takes for the white streak to appear in Table 2 below. Continue timing.
4. Record the time it takes for color to return to the white area in Table 2.
NOTE - The white reaction is caused by the displacement of blood from the small capillaries at the surface of
the skin in response to the mechanical stimuli. Eventually blood will return to the area.

The Red Reaction

1. On the other forearm, drag the eraser firmly across the skin of the inner forearm. This should be slightly
painful.
2. Start the timer.
3. Immediately observe the area that the eraser was dragged over. Watch for a red streak with a white halo.
4. Record the time it takes for the red streak to appear in Table 2.
5. Continue watching the streak for the next few minutes to determine if you have dermographia. Some
individuals will have a more severe allergic reaction caused by very sensitive skin that overproduces
histamine in response to the stimuli. A dermographic reaction will produce a raised swollen welt.
6. Watch for a raised swollen welt where the eraser was dragged over. Record whether a welt appeared or
not in Table 2. If a welt appeared, you have dermographia.

Table 2.
Time for white Time for white Time for red Do you have
reaction to appear reaction to disappear reactions to appear dermographia?
Time in 4seconds 15seconds 1470 seconds/ 24 Yes
Seconds minutes and 30
seconds
 Name :Kristine Mae M. Merhan Date : October 2, 2021 Period:

Analysis Questions
1. What triggers an inflammatory response?
The inflammatory response is triggered by a cascade of chemical mediators and cellular responses
that may occur when cells are damaged and stressed or when pathogens successfully breach the physical
barriers of the innate immune system.

2. What are the symptoms of an inflammatory response?

The symptoms of an inflammatory response are redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function

3. What is the difference between a white and a red reaction?

The white reaction appears first and it disappears also within one minute unlike the red reaction it
takes about 24 minutes and 30 seconds for it to disappear completely.

4. What is dermographia? Do you have it?

Dermographia is a common, harmless skin disorder. When people with this illness scratch their
skin, they get welts or a hive-like reaction. It can also happen when the skin is subjected to pressure or
friction. And yes based on the activity/experiment I have dermographia.

5. How does the inflammatory response help our bodies maintain homeostasis?
Inflammation operates at a cost to homeostasis by coordinating immune function. Inflammation is
a defensive response to infection, damage, and other external stresses as well as internal homeostasis
disruptions.
 Name :Kristine Mae M. Merhan
C. Layers of the Skin
1. Label the lettered leader lines on the diagram below with each of the structures in the table
WITHOUT using your textbook (yet). After you are done, check your answers in the book.
Hypodermis
Arrector pili muscle
Sebaceous gland
Hair follicle
Sudoriferous (sweat) gland
Epidermis
Dermis
Cutaneous blood vessels
Tactile receptor
C
Date : October 2, 2021 Period:
lowest layer of the skin; primarily composed of adipocytes
smooth muscle that gives you goose bumps
associated with hair follicles
cells that surround and give rise to hair
coiled gland sometimes associated with hair follicles, but not always
layer of skin
layer of skin
deliver O2 and nutrients to cells of dermis and epidermis
touch receptor; associated with neuron; senses superficial touch
D
E
F
G
H
I
Name :Kristine Mae M. Merhan Date : October 2, 2021 Period:

Answers:

A. Epidermis
B. Dermis
C. Hypodermis
D. Arrector Pili Muscle
E. Sebaceous Gland
F. Tactile Receptor
G. Hair Follicle
H. Sudoriferous (sweat) gland
I. Cutaneous blood vessels