INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

(SKIN & IT’S APPENDAGES)

Functions of Skin
Protection
Temperature Regulation
Excretion
Synthesis
Sensory Perception
Skin
Largest organ of the body
Two Layers
Epidermis
Dermis
Appendages of Skin
Hairs
Nails
Sebaceous Glands
Sweat Glands
Epidermis
Uppermost layer of the skin
Microscopically consists of five layers
Stratum Corneum (Keratinized)
Stratum Lucidum
Stratum Granulosum
Stratam Spinosum
Stratam basale
Epidermis (Cont.)
No blood Vessels
Obtains its nourishment and oxygen by diffusion
from dermis
Deeper layer of epidermis contains
Melanocytes (Determines the colour of the skin)
Dermis
Thick layer of dense connective tissue
Superficial papillary and deep reticular layer
Contains abundant blood vessels, nerves and
nerve endings
Lodges hair follicles, sebaceous and sweat glands
Epidermis
Self replacing stratified squamous epithelium
Consists of four types of cells
1. Keratinocytes
2. Melanocytes
3. Langerhans Cells
4. Merkel Cells
Layers of the Epidermis
Stratum Basale
Stratum Spinosum
Stratum Granulosum
Stratum Lucidum
Stratum Corneum
Stratum Basale (St Germinativum)
Single layer of basophilic cuboidal or low columnar
cells
Cells are keratinocytes resting on basement membrane
(some merkel cells and melanocytes)
Long oval nucleus, cell junction are frequent
Cytoplasm contain keratin intermediate filaments
called tonofilaments
Characterized by numerous mitotic figures
Stratum Spinosum
Consists of several layers of irregular polyhedral
keratinocytes
Towards surface cells become flattened
Cells bear numerous cytoplasmic projections called
“spines”
Spines are joined by desmosomes
Cytoplasm contain radiating tonofibrils and lamellar
bodies
St Basale + St spinosum = Malphigian layer
Stratum Granulosum
Consists of 3-5 layers of flattened rhomboid cells
Long axis parallel to surface of skin
Cytoplasm contain keratohyaline granules (proteins)
These proteins promote aggregation of tonofilaments
into tonofibrils
Keratinocytes moving up gradually show degenerative
changes
Stratum Lucidum
Apparent only in the skin of palm and sole
Thin translucent zone
Composed of 3-5 layers of closely packed flat
eosinophilic cells
Densely packed with keratin filaments
Stratum Corneum
Many layers of flattened keratinized cells
Corneocytes
Cells are devoid of nuclei and organelles
Keratin is present as bundles of intermediate
filaments embedded in dense amorphous matrix
Thickness varies in different parts of the body i.e.
thick and thin skin
Deep layer has desmosomes while superficial layers
loose cell junctions
Stratum corneum
Stratum lucidum
Stratum
Stratum
granulosum
spinosum
Stratum
basale
Dermis
Sheet of connective tissue that supports the epidermis
and binds it to subcutaneous tissue
Thickness varies from 0.5mm to 3mm
It lodges the appendages of the skin
It is composed of two layers
Papillary layer
Reticular layer
Papillary layer
Consists of dermal papillae protruding into the
epidermis
Thin layer of loose connective tissue composed of
reticular, collagen and elastic fibres
Special fibrils e.g anchoring fibrils bind the epidermis
to the dermis
Dermal papillae interdigitate with epidermal ridges
Richly vascular layers containing sensory receptors
(missner’s corpuscles)
Reticular Layer
Thick layer consisting of dense irregular connective
tissue
Less cellular than the papillary layer. The cell include
fibroblasts, mast cells, macrophages, t-lymphocytes
Sensory receptors including pacinian corpuscles and
ruffini’s are also present
Scatered smooth muscle fibres are also found in the
deeper parts of the raticular layer
Cells of Epidermis
1. Keratinocytes
2. Melanocytes
3. Langerhans Cells
4. Merkel Cells
Keratinocytes
Consists principle cells of epidermis
Constant renewal through continuous mitotic division
in basal layer
Moves away from the basement and undergo
progressive changes in size, shape and content
Transform from cuboidal living cells to dead flat cells
The cytoplasm is full of Keratin
Keratinocytes
When keratinocytes leave stratum basale:
No. of keratin filaments increases, forming bundles
called tonofibrils
Mature keratinocytes contain Keratin up to 85% of the
cell volume
In the stratum spinosum the keratinocytes form
membrane bound granules called membrane coating
granules or lamillar bodies
Melanocytes
Satellite cells with oval bodies and long dendritic
processes
Found scattered between the keratinocytes
Melanocytes synthesize brownish black pigment
called melanin
They protect the skin from harmful effect of EM
radiation
Visible by special stains
Langerhans Cells
Located mainly in the stratum spinosum
Visible only with special staining techniques
Each cell contain many dendritic processes
The cytoplasm of LC’s contain many lysosomes and
small number of mitochondria and RER
Part of mononuclear phagocytic system
They take part in cell mediated immune response
Merkel Cells
Found scattered among the cells of stratum basale
Occur as the single cell with long axis parallel to the
basal lamina of the epidermis
Small processes extend between the overlying
keratinocytes
Merkel cells are associated with expanded disc like
terminals of sensory nerve fibers
Combination of the terminal of an axon and merkel
cell forms merkel corpuscle
Functions of Merkel Cells
Merkel cell-neurite complex serve as
mechanoreceptors
Part of DNES
Abundant in highly perceptive sensory areas e.g.
Finger tips

Uploaded by

Uploaded by

INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

(SKIN & IT’S APPENDAGES)

You might also like