Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

    • 196 views

    Scioly Integumentary System

    Uploaded by

    vicmom
    The skin is the largest organ of the body and has several layers and cell types. It has multiple roles including protection, temperature regulation, sensory reception, biochemical synthesis, and absorption. The skin contains hair follicles lined with cells that produce hair, as well as sebaceous and sweat glands. Hair, nails, claws and other structures are derived from skin. The skin functions to maintain homeostasis by serving as a barrier, regulating temperature, synthesizing vitamins, and selectively absorbing nutrients and medications.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Scioly Integumentary System

    Uploaded by

    vicmom
    196 views3 pages
    The skin is the largest organ of the body and has several layers and cell types. It has multiple roles including protection, temperature regulation, sensory reception, biochemical synthesis, and absorption. The skin contains hair follicles lined with cells that produce hair, as well as sebaceous and sweat glands. Hair, nails, claws and other structures are derived from skin. The skin functions to maintain homeostasis by serving as a barrier, regulating temperature, synthesizing vitamins, and selectively absorbing nutrients and medications.

    Original Description:

    science olympiad

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The skin is the largest organ of the body and has several layers and cell types. It has multiple roles including protection, temperature regulation, sensory reception, biochemical synthesis, and absorption. The skin contains hair follicles lined with cells that produce hair, as well as sebaceous and sweat glands. Hair, nails, claws and other structures are derived from skin. The skin functions to maintain homeostasis by serving as a barrier, regulating temperature, synthesizing vitamins, and selectively absorbing nutrients and medications.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    196 views3 pages

    Scioly Integumentary System

    Uploaded by

    vicmom
    The skin is the largest organ of the body and has several layers and cell types. It has multiple roles including protection, temperature regulation, sensory reception, biochemical synthesis, and absorption. The skin contains hair follicles lined with cells that produce hair, as well as sebaceous and sweat glands. Hair, nails, claws and other structures are derived from skin. The skin functions to maintain homeostasis by serving as a barrier, regulating temperature, synthesizing vitamins, and selectively absorbing nutrients and medications.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    You are on page 1of 3
    At a glance
    Powered by AI
    The key takeaways are that the skin is the largest organ, has roles in protection, temperature regulation, sensory reception and more.

    The main layers of the skin are the epidermis and dermis. The epidermis contains keratinocytes and melanocytes while the dermis contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue.

    Some of the skin's roles in homeostasis include serving as a barrier, regulating body temperature through sweating, preventing fluid loss, and synthesizing vitamins and hormones.

    Integumentary System

    The skin is the largest organ in the body: 12-15% of body weight, with a
    surface area of 1-2 meters. Skin is continuous with, but structurally distinct
    from mucous membranes that line the mouth, anus, urethra, and vagina. Two
    distinct layers occur in the skin: the dermis and epidermis. The basic cell type
    of the epidermis is thekeratinocyte, which contain keratin, a fibrous protein.
    Basal cells are the innermost layer of the epidermis. Melanocytes produce the
    pigment melanin, and are also in the inner layer of the epidermis. The dermis is
    a connective tissue layer under the epidermis, and contains nerve endings,
    sensory receptors, capillaries, and elastic fibers.
    The integumentary system has multiple roles in homeostasis, including
    protection, temperature regulation, sensory reception, biochemical synthesis,
    and absorption. All body systems work in an interconnected manner to maintain
    the internal conditions essential to the function of the body.
    Follicles and Glands
    Hair follicles are lined with cells that synthesize the proteins that form hair. A
    sebaceous gland (that secretes the oily coating of the hair shaft), capillary bed,
    nerve ending, and small muscle are associated with each hair follicle. If the
    sebaceous glands becomes plugged and infected, it becomes a skin blemish (or
    pimple). The sweat glands open to the surface through the skin pores. Eccrine
    glands are a type of sweat gland linked to the sympathetic nervous system; they
    occur all over the body. Apocrine glands are the other type of sweat gland, and
    are larger and occur in the armpits and groin areas; these produce a solution
    that bacteria act upon to produce "body odor".
    Hair and Nails
    Hair, scales, feathers, claws, horns, and nails are animal structures derived from
    skin. The hair shaft extends above the skin surface, the hair root extends from
    the surface to the base or hair bulb. Genetics controls several features of hair:
    baldness, color, texture.
    Nails consist of highly keratinized, modified epidermal cells. The nail arises
    from the nail bed, which is thickened to form a lunula (or little moon). Cells
    forming the nail bed are linked together to form the nail.
    Skin and Homeostasis

    Skin functions in homeostasis include protection, regulation of body


    temperature, sensory reception, water balance, synthesis of vitamins and
    hormones, and absorption of materials. The skin's primary functions are to
    serve as a barrier to the entry of microbes and viruses, and to prevent water and
    extracellular fluid loss. Acidic secretions from skin glands also retard the
    growth of fungi. Melanocytes form a second barrier: protection from the
    damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. When a microbe penetrates the skin
    (or when the skin is breached by a cut) the inflammatory response occurs.
    Heat and cold receptors are located in the skin. When the body temperature
    rises, the hypothalamus sends a nerve signal to the sweat-producing skin
    glands, causing them to release about 1-2 liters of water per hour, cooling the
    body. The hypothalamus also causes dilation of the blood vessels of the skin,
    allowing more blood to flow into those areas, causing heat to be convected
    away from the skin surface. When body temperature falls, the sweat glands
    constrict and sweat production decreases. If the body temperature continues to
    fall, the body will engage in thermiogenesis, or heat generation, by raising the
    body's metabolic rate and by shivering.
    Water loss occurs in the skin by two routes.
    1. evaporation
    2. sweating
    In hot weather up to 4 liters per hour can be lost by these mechanisms. Skin
    damaged by burns is less effective at preventing fluid loss, often resulting in a
    possibly life threatening problem if not treated.
    Skin and Sensory Reception
    Sensory receptors in the skin include those for pain, pressure (touch), and
    temperature. Deeper within the skin are Meissner's corpuscles, which are
    especially common in the tips of the fingers and lips, and are very sensitive to
    touch. Pacinian corpuscles respond to pressure. Temperature receptors: more
    cold ones than hot ones.
    Skin and Synthesis | Back to Top
    Skin cells synthesize melanin and carotenes, which give the skin its color. The
    skin also assists in the synthesis of vitamin D. Children lacking sufficient
    vitamin D develop bone abnormalities known as rickets.

    Skin Is Selectively Permeable


    The skin is selectively soluble to fat-soluble substances such as vitamins A, D,
    E, and K, as well as steroid hormones such as estrogen. These substances enter
    the bloodstream through the capillary networks in the skin. Patches have been
    used to deliver a number of therapeutic drugs in this manner. These include
    estrogen, scopolamine (motion sickness), nitroglycerin (heart problems), and
    nicotine (for those trying to quit smoking).

    You might also like