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Seeley's Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology Chapter 5

Fundamental Human Form and Function (University at Buffalo)

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Ch. 5: Integumentary System

● Consists of skin and accessory structures (i.e. hair, glands, nails) → acts like an
endocrine organ
● Functions of Integumentary System:
○ Protection
○ Sensation
○ Vitamin D production → UV light forms precursor molecule of vitamin D
● Modified in liver, then the kidneys
■ Skin → liver → kidneys
■ Vitamin D helps intestines absorb calcium & phosphate
○ Temperature regulation
■ ~ 37 deg. Celsius
● Cooling body:
○ Blood vessels DILATE
○ Heat is transferred from deep tissues to skin
○ Sweat is produced
● Heating body:
○ Blood vessels CONSTRICT → reduce blood flow to
skin
○ Heat is retained as a result
○ Excretion
■ Sweat contains water and salts
● Also carries small amounts of waste products like urea, uric
acid, and ammonia
● Skin is made up of 2 major tissue layers:
○ Epidermis: stratified squamous epithelial tissue, most superficial
(outermost) layer of skin → keratinized!
■ Resists abrasion and forms a permeability barrier
○ Dermis: dense connective tissue, forms the deep layer of skin
■ Responsible for the structural strength of skin
○ Skin rests on the subcutaneous tissue: under the skin; layer of
connective tissue; also known as the “hypodermis”

● Epidermis
○ Stratified squamous epithelium
○ Cells in deepest layers replicate through mitosis to continue replacing the
outermost layer → flaking
■ Keratinization: cells become filled with keratin to make them hard
as they approach the surface of the epidermis

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● Takes 40-56 days for new cells to reach surface

○ Strata can be seen in the epidermis
■ Stratum Corneum: most superficial stratum; consists of dead
squamous cells filled w/ keratin
● Stratum corneum cells are also coated and surrounded by
lipids → prevent fluid loss through skin
● 75% of epidermal thickness (20-30 layers of stratum
corneum)
■ Intermediate Basale
■ Stratum Basale: deepest stratum; consists of cuboidal or columnar
cells that undergo mitosis → stem cells
● Attaches to dermis
○ In skin subjected to friction, number of layers in stratum corneum greatly
increases, producing a thickened area called a callus
■ Over a bony prominence, the stratum corneum can thicken to form
a cone-shaped structure called a corn
○ Actual layers of Epidermis (CLGSB)
■ Stratum Corneum
■ “” Lucidum
■ “” Granulosum
■ “” Spinosum
■ “” Basale

● Dermis
○ Dense collagenous connective tissue that contains fibroblasts,
adipocytes, and macrophages
■ Nerves, hair follicles, smooth muscles, glands, and lymphatic
vessels extend into the dermis
○ Collagen and elastic fibers provide structural strength of dermis
○ Upper part of dermis has projections called dermal papillae
■ Dermal papillae contain many blood vessels that supply the
overlying epidermis w/ nutrients, remove waste, and regulate body
temp.
● Ridges → increase surface area for ATTACHMENT
○ Papillary Layer:
■ Thin, connective tissue layer w/ blood vessels!
○ Reticular Layer
■ Deepest layer of dermis!
■ 80% of dermis
● Hypodermis
○ Below dermis
○ Contains loose and adipose tissue
○ Blood vessels
○ 50% of body’s fat → stores energy!

● Skin Color

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○ Melanin: brown/black pigment responsible for skin and hair color

■ Provides protection against UV light
■ Produced by melanocytes: found in stratum basale; produce
brown/black pigment melanin → all races have SAME number of
melanocytes
● Golgi apparatuses of melanocytes package melanin into
vesicles called melanosomes
○ Large amounts of melanin form freckles or moles!
○ Melanin production is determined by genetic factors, exposure to light, and
hormones!

○ Skin color determined by:

● Pigments
● Genetics
● Blood Circulation
● Thickness of stratum corneum

○ Albinism is a recessive genetic trait that causes a deficiency or an

absence of melanin

○ Cyanosis: blue coloration of the skin and mucous membranes caused by

insufficient oxygenation of blood
● E.g. Birthmarks
○ Carotene:
● Yellow pigment in plants; lipid-soluble source of vitamin A
○ Hemoglobin:
● Gives red/pink color
● Found in red blood cells

● Hypodermis
○ Skin rests on the subcutaneous tissue
■ Think of a house resting on a foundation:
● Roof is epidermis
● Actual house is dermis
● Foundation is subcutaneous tissue
○ Subcutaneous tissue attaches skin to underlying bone/muscle
■ Not part of the skin!!
○ Subcutaneous tissue is also known as the hypodermis
■ Loose connective tissue
■ Adipose tissue (½ of body’s stored lipids)

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○ Subcutaneous tissue can be used to estimate total body fat

● Accessory Skin Structures

○ Hair
■ Threadlike outgrowth of skin, consisting of dead, keratinized
epithelial cells
■ Grows in cycles (not continuous)
■ Arises from a hair follicle (extension of epidermis that originates
deep in dermis) → gives hair diff. shapes
● Hair Shaft protrudes above surface of skin
○ Flexible strands of keratinized skin
● Root and hair bulb are below surface
○ Hair is produced in hair bulb
○
■ Hair bulb rests on hair papilla
● Blood vessels within hair papilla provide hair bulb w/
nourishment to produce hair!
■ Arrector pili: smooth muscle cells associated w/ each hair follicle
○ Contraction of arrector pili causes hair to become more
perpendicular (“stand on end”) → goose bumps
■ Piloerection

○ Glands
○ 2 major glands:
■ Sebaceous glands:
● Connected to hair follicle
● Produce sebum
○ Released by holocrine secretion and lubricates
hair/skin → prevent drying
■ Sweat glands (2 types):
● Eccrine sweat glands: water-producing sweat
glands
○ Watery
○ Release sweat by merocrine secretion
■ Ducts that open onto skin surface
○ Located all over the body → open into sweat
pores on skin
● Apocrine sweat glands: produce thick, oily secretion
rich in organic substances
○ Released by both merocrine (mostly) and
holocrine secretion
○ Thick oil → causes body odor when
metabolized by bacteria

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○ Located in armpits and genitalia → open into

hair follicle

○ Nails
○ Thin plate, consisting of layers of dead stratum corneum cells that
contain very hard keratin
■ Nail body: visible part of nail
■ Nail root: part of nail covered by skin
■ Cuticle (eponychium): stratum corneum extending onto nail
body
■ Nail root extends distally from nail matrix
■ Nail attaches to underlying nail bed
■ Nail matrix is thicker than nail bed
● Small part of nail matrix: lunula
○ Lunula can be seen through the nail body as a
whitish, crescent-shaped area at the base of
the nail
○ Nails grow continuously and do NOT have a resting stage

● Integumentary System as a Diagnostic Aid

○ Useful in diagnosis
■ Reflects events occurring in other parts of body
○ Hair can also be analyzed, since it concentrates many substances

■ Jaundice: yellowish staining of skin

● Results when liver is damaged by hepatitis
○ Bile builds up in blood and tissues and indicate
impaired liver function which results in yellowish skin
color → Jaundice
■ Redness:
● Fever, hypertension, inflammation, allergies
■ Pallor:
● Anemia, low blood pressure
■ Bronzing:
● Kidney disease
■ Bruising:
● Broken blood vessels

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