Support and Protection by
the Integumentary System
Learning Objective
• Explain how the skin and its derivatives are able to support, protect, regulate
body temperature, and perform receptor functions.
Integumentary System
• Forms body’s outer covering
• Primarily functions in protecting the body
• Composed of skin and its derivatives: hairs,
nails, and glands
• Skin & secretions – 1st line of barrier defense
• Different functions: sensation,
thermoregulation, vitamin D synthesis,
excretion and osmoregulation
Integumentary System
Organs of the Integumentary System
A. Skin
B. Hair
C. Nails
D. Glands
[Link]
A. Skin
• Largest external organ of the body
• Functions:
• External surface protection, covering, sensation,
thermoregulation, vitamin D synthesis, excretion, and
osmoregulation
• Waterproofing
• Formation of hair and nails
• Responsible for natural skin color
• 3 main layers:
• Epidermis
• Dermis
• Hypodermis (subcutaneous)
[Link]
Layers of the epidermis
1. Stratum corneum
2. Stratum lucidum
3. Stratum granulosum
4. Stratum spinosum
5. Stratum basale
[Link] - Layers of the epidermis
1. Stratum corneum
• Uppermost multi-layer of dead
keratinized, cornified squamous cells
• No blood vessels dead cell layer
• Keratin – waterproofing substance
• Cornified – dry & hard
• Exfoliation – continuous shedding
[Link] - Layers of the epidermis
2. Stratum lucidum
• Only found in thick skin (skin in palm
& soles of feet)
• Provides additional thickness to areas
prone to shock and pressure
[Link] - Layers of the epidermis
3. Stratum granulosum
• has active keratinocytes (cells
producing keratin)
• Help create permeability barrier to water
[Link] - Layers of the epidermis
4. Stratum spinosum (spinous/prickle cell
layer)
• provides strength and flexibility to the skin
• protects against infections
[Link] - Layers of the epidermis
5. Stratum basale (lowermost layer)
• one layer of columnar cells
• Mitosis layer – cells are actively dividing give rise to cells
of the upper layers
• Forms the nails & hair
• Contains melanocytes
• produce melanin - for skin pigmentation; UV rays
protection
• Vitamin D synthesis - for absorption of calcium &
phosphorus, needed for bone nourishment & repair
[Link] - Dermis
• 2nd layer of skin found in between epidermis and
hypodermis
• Acts as skin glue
• Functions:
• Provides elasticity of skin
• Nourishes epidermis
• Receives sensory stimulation
• Forms unchanging fingerprint and footprint
• Unique identity; easy grasping without
slippage
[Link] - Structures in the Dermis
1. Abundant areolar connective tissue
2. Blood vessel
3. Sensory receptors
4. Follicles and glands
A. Skin - Structures in the Dermis
1. Abundant areolar connective
tissue
• Has elastin fibers elasticity to skin
• Elasticity –property of skin which
resists change in shape & structure
despite pressure and shock
[Link] - Structures in the Dermis
2. Blood vessel cold hot
• Veins, arteries, and skin capillaries
• Thermoregulatory functions:
• High body temperature blood vessels
dilate extra heat escapes thru skin
• Low body temperature blood vessels
constrict internal body organs utilize heat
flowing within blood vessels
[Link] - Structures in the Dermis
3. Sensory receptors
• In the form of naked dendrites encapsulated by
connective tissue
• Mechanoreceptors – sense physical deformation
(i.e., pressure, touch, stretch, and motion)
• Thermoreceptors – detect heat & cold
• Pain receptors/nociceptors – detect harmful
conditions (thermal, mechanical, or chemical
stimuli)
[Link] - Structures in the Dermis
4. Follicles and glands
• Contains hair follicles & different types of
glands
• Functions:
• hair growth, lubrication, and temperature
regulation
[Link]
[Link] - Hyppodermis/subcutaneous
• Lowermost layer of the skin
• Made up of fats & adipose tissue
• Thinnest in the eyelids and thickest in
buttocks (for females) and tummy (for males)
• Functions:
• high energy reserve
• insulation
• cushion
B. Hair
• Produced by basale cells of the skin
• Made up of keratin protein and cuticle
• 2 main parts:
• hair root – attached to arrector pili muscle (raises
hair upon contraction goosebumps)
• hair shaft – made up of 2/3 layers: cuticle, cortex,
medulla
B. Hair
• Functions
• Thermoregulation - Provides additional insulation to the body
• Too cold hair is raised for additional layer of insulation (thru
arrector pili muscle)
• Protection
• Modified into defensive structures in some animals (quills &
spikes)
• Sensation
• Hair movement can be sensed by mechanoreceptors in skin
C. Nails
• Made up of cuticle and keratin
• 2 main parts: nail body/plate & nail root
• Main function: protect toes & fingers
• Also for:
• grasping small objects
• Modified into defensive structure (claw)
• Changes in color, shape, thickness, or texture may
reflect abnormalities in human body
D. Glands
• Structures in dermis of skin
• Secrete various substances aiding in some skin
functions
• 2 types of skin glands
• Sebaceous glands
• Sac-like type of exocrine gland whose duct opens into hair
and in skin surface
• Secrete oil/sebum – lubricates skin & hair; contributes to
acidity of skin (makes it unsuitable for pathogen growth)
• Sweat glands
D. Glands
• 2 types of skin glands
• Sweat glands – coiled tubule-like type of exocrine gland
• Duct opens into skin surface
• Secrete sweat (mixture of water, ions, N wastes, sometimes proteins)
• 2 types of sweat glands:
• Eccrine sweat gland - found almost everywhere
• secretion mainly composed of water, some NaCl, urea, uric
acid, & K+
• Function: thermoregulation & excretion
• Apocrine sweat gland - Found only on some areas like armpit and
ano-genital area
• Active during puberty, emotional stress, & sexual stimulation
• Secretion composition: water, proteins, amino acids
D. Glands
• Modified sweat glands
[Link]
[Link]
• Ceruminous glands –secrete earwax (trap foreign
molecules in ear canal)
• Ciliary glands – produce tear-like substance which
lubricates & protects eyes
• Mammary glands – secrete milk for infant
nourishment
[Link]
[Link]
Integumentary System
Skin Aging
• depends on different factors: lifestyle, diet, genes, personal habits (smoking, alcohol drinking)
• Exposure to sun, pollution, stress, & obesity hastens aging of skin
• Effects of aging on the skin
• Rougher & drier due to loss of cuticle in surface
• Benign tumors & lesions
• Becomes slack/soggy due to loss of elastin fibers in connective tissue of dermis
• Becomes more transparent due to thinning of layers of epidermis
• Becomes more fragile due to continuous death of connective tissue in dermis
• More easily bruised due to thinning on walls of skin blood vessels in dermis
• Losses fat in hypodermal region particularly in cheeks, temples, chin, nose, and eye
• Develops discoloration due to decline in melanocytes activity
• Hair becomes gray as it enters late phase of its life cycle
Integumentary System
Skin Care Tips
Summary
• Integumentary system
• Body’s outer covering
• Protect body from environmental threats
• Skin and its derivatives (hair, nails, glands)
• Functions: sensation, thermoregulation, vit D synthesis, excretion, osmoregulation
• Skin has 3 main layers: epidermis, dermis, hypodermis
• Hair are made up of keratin and cuticle
• Nails are thin, hard covering
• Glands secrete various substances aiding in some functions of skin.
