Objectives :

▪ Identify the functions of integumentary System

and its specialized derivatives including the
hairs, nails, sweat and sebaceous glands

▪ Label the structures of the skin and the

subcutaneous tissues
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

▪ It comprises the skin and its appendages acting to

protect the body from various kinds of damage, such
as loss of water or damages from outside.

▪ It includes the skin and its specialized derivatives,

including the hairs, nails, and sebaceous glands. The
mammary glands and teeth are also considered as
components of the integumentary system. The system
develops from surface ectoderm, mesoderm and
neural crest cells.
 THE SKIN
▪ Is a vital organ that covers the entire outside of the
body, forming a protective barrier against pathogens
and injuries from the environment.

▪ It is the body's largest organ; covering the entire

outside of the body, it is about 2 mm thick and weighs
approximately six pounds. It shields the body against
heat, light, injury, and infection.

▪ It helps regulate body temperature, gathers sensory

information from the environment, stores water, fat,
and vitamin D, and plays a role in the immune system
protecting us from disease.
▪ The two major layers of the skin are the outer
epidermis and the inner dermis.

▪ Each of these layers is made of different tissues

and has very different functions.
▪ The color, thickness and texture of skin
vary over the body.
EPIDERMIS
▪ It is made of stratified squamous keratinizing
epithelial tissue and is thickest on the palms
and soles.
▪ The cells that are most abundant are called
keratinocytes, and there are no capillaries
present between them. Although
▪ the epidermis may be further subdivided into
four or five sublayers,
▪ two of these are of greatest importance: the
innermost layer, the stratum germinativum,
and the outermost layer, the stratum corneum
Stratum Germinativum

▪ The stratum germinativum may also be called

the stratum basale. Each name tells us
something about this layer. To germinate
means “to sprout” or “to grow.”
▪ Basal means the “base” or “lowest part.”
▪ The stratum germinativum is the base of the
epidermis, the innermost layer in which mitosis
takes place
▪ New cells are continually being produced,
pushing the older cells toward the skin
surface.
▪ These cells produce the protein keratin, and
as they get farther away
from the capillaries in the dermis, they die. As
dead cells are worn off the skin’s surface, they
are replaced by cells from the lower layers.
Scattered among the keratinocytes of the
stratum germinativum are very
different cells called Merkel cells (or Merkel
discs) these are receptors for the sense of
touch
▪ The living portion of the epidermis also
produces a vitamin; the cells have a form of
cholesterol that, on exposure to ultraviolet light,
is changed to vitamin D.

▪ This is why vitamin D is sometimes referred to as

the “sunshine vitamin.”
STRATUM CORNEUM

▪ The Stratum corneum is also a barrier to pathogens

and chemicals.

▪ Most bacteria and other microorganisms cannot

penetrate unbroken skin. The flaking of dead cells
from the skin surface helps remove microorganisms,
and the fatty acids in sebum help inhibit their
growth.
 STRATUM CORNEUM

▪ Certain minor changes in the epidermis.

▪ When first wearing new shoes, for example, the skin of
the foot may be subjected to friction. This will separate
layers of the epidermis, or separate the epidermis from
the dermis, and tissue fluid may collect, causing a
blister.

▪ If the skin is subjected to pressure, the rate of mitosis in

the stratum germinativum will increase and create a
thicker epidermis; we call this a callus. Although
calluses are more common on the palms and soles,
they may occur on any part of the skin.
DERMIS

▪ The dermis is made of an irregular type of fibrous

connective tissue.
irregular meaning that the fibers are not parallel, but run
in all directions.
▪ Fibroblasts produce both collagen and elastin fibers.
▪ collagen fibers are strong, and
▪ Strength and elasticity are two characteristics of the
dermis. With increasing age, however, the
deterioration of the elastin fibers causes the skin to
lose its elasticity.
NAIL FOLLICLES
▪ Nail Follicles Found on the ends of fingers and toes,
nail follicles produce nails just as hair follicles produce
hair.
▪ Mitosis takes place in the nail root at the base of the
nail and the new cells produce keratin (a stronger
form of this protein than is found in hair) and then die.
Although the nail itself consists of keratinized dead
cells, the flat nail bed is living epidermis and dermis.
▪ This is why cutting a nail too short can be quite painful.
Nails protect the ends of the fingers and toes from
mechanical injury and give the fingers greater ability
to pick up small objects.
The skin contains many specialized cells
and structures:

Basket Cells

▪ Basket cells surround the base of hair

follicles and can sense pressure. They are
evaluated when assessing overall nerve
health and condition.
▪ Blood vessels carry nutrients and
oxygen-rich blood to the cells that
make up the layers of skin and carry
away waste products.

▪ Hair Erector Muscle (Arrector Pili Muscle)

The Errector pili muscle is a tiny muscle

connected to each hair follicle and the skin.
When it contracts it causes the hair to stand
erect, and a "goosebump" forms on the skin.
Hair Follicle
▪ The hair follicle is a tube-shaped sheath that
surrounds the part of the hair that is under the
skin and nourishes the hair. It is located in the
epidermis and the dermis.
Hair Shaft
▪ The hair shaft is the part of the hair that is
above the skin.
▪ Langerhans Cells
These cells attach themselves to antigens
that invade damaged skin and alert the
immune system to their presence.
Melanocyte
▪ A melanocyte is a cell that produces
melanin, and is located in the basal layer of
the epidermis.
Merkel Cells
▪ Merkel cells, also known as Merkel-Ranvier
cells or tactile epithelial cells, are oval-
shaped mechanoreceptors essential for light
touch sensation and found in the skin of
vertebrates
Pacinian Corpuscle
▪ A pacinian corpuscle is a nerve receptor
located in the subcutaneous fatty tissue that
responds to pressure and vibration.
Sebaceous Gland
▪ Sebaceous glands are small, sack-shaped glands
which release an oily substance onto the hair follicle
that coats and protects the hair shaft from
becoming brittle. These glands are located in the
dermis.
Sensory Nerves

▪ The epidermis is innervated with sensory

nerves. These nerves sense and transmit heat,
pain, and other noxious sensations. When
they are not functioning properly sensations
such as numbness, pins-and-needles, pain,
tingling, or burning may be felt. When
evaluating a skin biopsy, total number,
contiguity, diameter, branching, swelling,
and overall health of the sensory nerves are
assessed.
Stratum Corneum

▪ The stratum corneum is outermost layer

of the epidermis, and is comprised of
dead skin cells.
▪ It protects the living cells beneath it by
providing a tough barrier between the
environment and the lower layers of the
skin.
▪ The stratum corneum is useful for
diagnosis because in some conditions it
will become thinner than normal.
Sweat Gland (Sudoriferous Gland)

▪ These glands are located in the

epidermis and produce moisture
(sweat) that is secreted through tiny
ducts onto the surface of the skin
(stratum corneum).
▪ When sweat evaporates, skin
temperature is lowered.