Integumentary system
Integumentary System
• is everything covering the outside of an
animal's body. This account is written mostly
with people in mind, but it applies more
widely.
• The integument means skin, hair, scales,
nails, sweat glands and their products (sweat
and mucus). The name comes from the Latin
Skin
•The skin is the largest organ
in the human body and
accounts for about 15% of
your total body weight. The
skin is made of three main
layers, the epidermis, the
dermis, and subcutaneous
Layers of the Skin
• Epidermis is a thin outer layer and is
made up of many small layers. One
of them is called the basale stratum
and is the only one that can
complete a process called cell
division.
•Dermis is the thicker inner layer of
the skin. It contains blood vessels,
connective tissue, nerves, receptors,
sebaceous and sudoriferous glands,
hair shafts and lymph vessels.
•There are two main layers of the
dermis, the upper papillary layer and
the lower reticular layer
Two main layers of Dermis
• Upper papillary layer consist of ridges that
cause finger prints, and receptors that sense
heat, pain, pressure, cold, and touch.
• These communicate with the central nervous
system so that you can react to these feelings.
Your fingertips and your lips are more sensitive
than other parts of your body because there are
more receptors in these parts.
• Reticular layer is made of connective tissue and
contains, hair follicles, certain glands and
nerves.
•Subcutaneous tissue is the
lowest layer and is made
mostly of fat and stores
nutrients.
Glands
There are four types of glands
•Sweat glands - make sweat to
control temperature
•Sebaceous glands - make oil
•Ceruminous glands - make ear wax
•Mammary glands - make milk and
are only in women
Nails
•Nails are created when epidermal
tissues hardens because of a protein
called keratin.
•They are made of keratinized
epidermal cells.
•Keratin is also used to form hair and
the top layer of your skin.
Nails
• The place where nails grow from is called the
"NAIL MATRIX", but are located in nail beds.
• The nail root is where the nail starts, which is
hidden under your cuticle. Nails grow when
new cells are created at the root, which push
the old cells out. At the same time keratin
hardens and flattens them. It moves across
the nail bed (flat part under nails) where you
can see it.
•Nails protect the sensitive tips of our
fingers and toes and aid us when
picking up objects, but cuticles
(found where your nail meets your
skin) protect the new cells as it's
growing out from the nail bed
•Fingernails and toenails protect the
distal parts of your fingers and toes.
•The nails are most firmly attached to
the base of the nail. This crescent-
shaped area is called the lunula.
Hair
• is an altered type of skin that grows
everywhere on your body except on
your lips, eyelids, palms of your hands,
and the soles of your feet. Although, it
grows faster in the summer and during
the day, then at night in the winter.
• Hair grows from follicles that are hair
shafts and roots of your hair
Hair
• The base of your hair root is known as
the hair bulb, which is where nutrients
are received and new cells are formed.
• Follicles are found in the dermis. There
are also tiny muscles that are attached
to hair follicles and in certain occasions
tighten together to form "goose
pimples" or " goose bumps" and make
the hair stand up straight
• Hair is formed by epidermal cells that line a
pocket called follicle, which lies deep within
the dermis. The outside layer of the hair
and the skin are both composed of
transparent keratin cells.
• Keratin cells overlap like scales on a fish.
When these cells lie flat, they reflect light,
giving hair its shine.
• The melanin pigments give hair as well as
skin its color.
•Whether hair is curly or straight
depends on the angle of the hair
follicle and the shape of the hair
shaft.
•Curly hair has a flat shaft;
straight hair has a round one.
Hair fullness depends on the
number of shafts and the
3 Hair Coverings
• outer layer is overlapping keratin
scales (cuticle),
• center layer is keratinized protein fiber
(cortex)
• central core of round cells (medulla).
Medulla is usually found in coarse hair,
but not likely in natural blonde hair and
fine hair.
Functions
The integumentary system has multiple roles
in homeostasis. All body systems work in an
interconnected manner to maintain the
internal conditions essential to the function of
the body. The skin has an important job of
protecting the body and acts as the body’s
first line of defense against infection,
temperature change, and other challenges to
homeostasis.
Functions
• Protect; the body’s internal living tissues and organs,
against invasion by infectious organisms, the body from
dehydration, the body against abrupt changes in
temperature and protect the body against sunburns
• Help excrete waste materials through perspiration
• Act as a receptor for touch, pressure, pain, heat, and cold
• Generate vitamin D through exposure to ultraviolet light
• Store water, fat, glucose, and vitamin D
• Participate in temperature regulation
Diseases of the Integumentary System
• Skin Cancer
Types
1. basal cell carcinoma - skin colored or has a slight pearl color
to it. It rarely metastasizes (i.e., it rarely spreads to other parts of the
body), but it can be very problematic if it's not treated, can destroy
skin tissue and bone.
2. squamous cell carcinoma - is a rough-surfaced skin-colored
lesion. Squamous cell skin cancer causes death in about 10 percent of
affected patients.
3. melanoma, which looks like a dark, changing, bleeding skin
spot. It is fatal in as many as 35 percent of patients diagnosed with
•Warts are rough bumps caused by a viral infection.
•They commonly occur on the hands and feet.
•Sometimes, tiny black dots will be visible in a wart.
• "Those are blocked blood vessels, which is a
common occurrence with a papilloma viral
infection.“
• The best treatment for warts is to cause a mild
irritation of the wart — usually by freezing, liquid
irritation and lasers — so the immune system can
recognize the viral infection and get rid of it.
• Eczema - Also known as dermatitis, eczema looks
like red, itchy, flaky skin. It can occur anywhere.
• Sometimes, it happens by itself, and other times, it
is caused by outside factors such as poison ivy.
• Dermatitis is best treated with topical anti-
inflammatory creams and ointments.
• For mild cases, over-the-counter medications work
well, but a prescription may be required for more
severe cases.
• Acne - a disorder of the hair and oil glands, is among
the most common conditions treated by dermatologists,
• "It is under the control of hormonal changes, hence the
initial flare during adolescence," he said.
• Acne presents itself as red bumps and pimples on the
face, chest and back,
• Treatments include vitamin A products (retinols),
salicylic acid (to unplug pores), benzoyl peroxides (to
decrease bacteria) and antibiotics (to reduce
inflammation).
• Vitiligo - is a condition in which the cells that
produce skin color — melanocytes — no longer
function properly.
• Some are attacked by the immune system.
• Sometimes, the cells mysteriously die or stop
working. "When this happens, the person with
vitiligo can get multiple patches of white skin.
• One of the best treatments for vitiligo is
specialized light treatment from a doctor."
• Psoriasis - is an inflammatory skin condition in which red,
itchy plaques commonly occur on the knees and elbows. The
nails can have pits and the scalp can be red and itchy, flaky
and inflamed. "About 3 percent of all people have psoriasis
to some degree, and it does run in families many times
• . Some patients with psoriasis can also develop arthritis,
called psoriatic arthritis.
• The best treatment for psoriasis are topical medicines, light
treatments and, in severe cases, systemic prescription
medicines.
• Moles are normal parts of the skin.
• Moles can be flat or raised, and they can be
red, brown, black or skin-colored.
• If a mole start changing — in size, color or
shape, or if it bleeds and doesn't heal on its
own in three weeks — it should be evaluated
by a doctor to make sure it is not turning into
a skin cancer.
Taking Care of Your Skin
• Always take a bath to clean your skin.
• Apply mild lotion to your skin to prevent dryness.
• When staying under the sun, use sunblock or sunscreen lotion.
• Avoid too much exposure to the sun as it can cause sunburn
and other related disorders.
• Do not apply cosmetic products. A child’s skin is sensitive to
these products.
• Consult a dermatologist in case you experience severe skin
itchiness or skin burns.
