Integumentary

System
Integumentary System

 is our body’s outer layer . It’s made up of skin ,nails , hair and the glands
and nerves on the skin . Your integumentary system acts as a physical
barrier ,protecting your body from bacteria ,infection ,injury , and sunlight .
It also helps regulate your body temperature and allows you to feel skin
sensations like hot and cold.

 It’s stores fat , water , glucose and vitamin D , and helps support your
immune system to protect you from diseases.
Skin
 The one of the largest organs of the body .A composite organ, made up of at least two major of
tissue:the epidermis and the dermis . The epidermis is the outermost layer, providing the initial
barrier to the external environment .It is separated from the dermis by the basement
membrance (basal lamina and reticular lamina). The epidermis contains melanocytes and gives
color to the skin. The deepest layer of the epidermis also contains nerve endings.
Epidermis
 is stratified squamous epithelium; in its deepest layers, new cells are produced by
mitosis. The outermost cells protect the cells underneath ,and the deeper ,replicating cells
lost from the surface .During their movement ,the cells change shape and chemical
composition, a process called keratinization its reflects the fact that the cells become filled
with the protein keratin ,which makes them more rigid and durable.
The stratum basale ,consists of cuboidal or columnar cells that undergo mitotic division
about every 19 days .Once other daughter cell becomes cell stratum basale cell and can divide
again . The stratum corneum is the most superficial stratum of the epidermis .It consists
of dead squamous cells filled with keratin . Keratin gives the stratum corneum its structural
strength.

 The stratum corneum cells from the surface of the scalp is called dandruff. In skin subjected
to friction ,the number of layers in the stratum greatly increase , prociducing a thickened area
called callus (hard skin).Over a bony prominence ,the stratum corneum can thicken to form a
cone-shaped structure called corn.
Dermis
 is composed of dense collagenous connective tissue containing fibroblasts , adipocytes ,and
macrophages . Nerves, hair ,follicles , smooth muscles , glands, and lymphatic vessels extend
into the dermis .If the skin is overstretched for any reason ,the dermis can be
damaged ,leaving lines that are visible through the epidermis .These lines , called stretch marks ,
can develop when a person increases in size quite rapidly .

 The upper part of the dermis has projection called dermal papillae ,which extend toward the
epidermis .The epidermis lacks blood vessels ; however , the dermal papillae contain many
blood vessels . Blood flow through these vessels supplies the overlying epidermis with
nutrients , removes waste products, and helps regulate body temperature .
An intradermal injection is administered by drawing the skin taut and inserting a small needle
at a shallow angle into the dermis; an example is the tuberculin skin test .A subcutaneous
injection is achieved by pushing the skin to form a tent and inserting a short needle into the
adipose tissue of the subcutaneous tissue; an example is an insulin injection .An
intramuscular injection is accomplished by inserting a long needle at a 90% angle to the skin
into a muscle deep to the subcutaneous tissue . Intramuscular injections are used for most
vaccines and certain antibiotic .
Skin Color

Factors that determine skin color include pigments in the skin , blood
circulating through the skin , and the thickness of the stratum
corneum .Melanin is the group of pigments primary responsible for skin ,hair,
and the eye color . Most melanin molecules are brown to black pigments, but
some are yellowish or reddish .Melanin provides protection against ultraviolet
light from the sun.
Melanin is produced by melanocytes are irregularly shaped cells with many long processes that
extend between the epithelial cells of the deep part of the epidermis .Within melanocytes, the
Golgi apparatuses package melanin into the vehicles called melanosomes, which move into the
cell processes of the melanocytes .Epithelial cells phagocytize the tips of the melanocyte processes
,thereby acquiring melanosomes. Although all epithelial cells , palms of the hands soles of the
feet, contain less melanin.
Melanin production is determined by genetic factors ,exposure to light ,and hormones .Genetic
factors are responsible for the amount of melanin produced in different races . Since all races have
about the same number of melanocytes, racial variations in skin color are determined by the
amount ,kind and distribution of melanin .For example albinism is a recessive genetic trait that
causes a deficiency or an absence of melanin .Albinos have fair skin ,white hair and unpigmented
irises in the eyes. Exposure to ultraviolet light for example , in sunlight stimulates melanocytes to
increases melanin production theresult is a suntan.
The evolution of skin color in humans is intriguing because it helps explain certain modern
health problems. During human evolution ,the skeletal system of our ancestors
changed ,resulting in an upright posture and the ability to walk and run greater distances. As a
result of increased physical activity , excess heat is produced ,which can cause overheating .An
increase in the number of sweat glands in the skin and a reduction in the amount of hair
covering the skin help eliminate the excess heat. Certain hormones ,such as estrogen and
melanoncyte stimulating hormone ,cause an increase in melanin production during pregnancy in
the mother ,darkening the nipples ,the pigmented circular areas around the nipples, and genitalia
even more. The cheekbones and forehead can also darken ,resulting in the“the mask of
pregnancy”. Also, a dark line of pigmentation can appear on the midline of the abdomen.

Blood flowing through the skin imparts a reddish hue ,and when blood flow increases, the red
color intensities .Examples include blushing and the redness resulting from the inflammatory
response .A decrease in blood flow, as occurs in shock ,can make the skin appear pale .A bluish
color of the skin, called cyanosis (darkblue)birthmarks are congenital (present at birth) disorders
of the blood vessels (capillaries) in the dermis.
Carotene
is a yellow pigment found in plants such as squash and carrots. Humans normally ingest
carotene and use it as a source of vitamin A.Carotene is lipid soluble;when consumed , it
accumulates in the lipids of the stratum corneum and in adipocytes of the dermis and
subcutaneous tissue. If large amountsof carotene are consumed ,the skin can become quite
yellowish .
The subcutaneous tissue attaches the skin to underlying bone and muscle and supplies it with
blood vessels and nerves which is not part of the skin , is sometimes called hypodermis .It is
loose connective tissue, including adipose tissue that contains about half the body’s stored
lipids . The subcutaneous tissue can be used to estimate total body fat. The skin and
subcutaneous tissue are pinched at selected ,locations, and the thickness of the fold is measured .
The thicker the fold , the greater the amount of total body fat. The percentage of body fat varies
in the population ,but on average women have higher total body fat than do males. The
acceptable percentage of body fat varies from 21% to 30% for females and form 13% to 25% for
mlaes.A body fat percentage above the acceptable range is an incidicator of obesity .
Hair
In humans, hair is found everywhere on the skin, except on the palms, the soles ,the lips ,the
nipples, part of the genitalia, and the distal segments of the fingers and toes. Each hair arises
from a hair follicle ,an invagination of the epidermis that extends deep into the dermis . A
helpful analogy for the structure of the hair follicle, and hair is a single flower in a vase .The
vase is like the hair follicle and the flower stem is like the hair. The shaft of he hair protrudes
above the surface of the skin ,where as the root is below the surface of the skin ,where as the
root is below the surface .The hair bulb is the expanded base of the root .A hair has a hard
cortex,which surrounds a softer center ,the medulla .The cortex is covered by the cuticle ,a
single layer of overlapping cells that holds the hair in the hair follicle.Because the hair follicle is
composed of epithelial tissue ,hair follicles can play an important role in repair of the skin .If the
surface epidermis is damaged ,the epithelial cells within the hair follicle can divide and serve as
a source of new epithelial cells.
The hair papilla is an extension of the dermis that protrudes into the hair bulb.Bulb vessels within the
papilla supply the hair bulb with the nourishment needed to produced the hair.Hair is produced in
cycles.During the growth stage, it is formed by epithelial cells within the hair bulb.These cells ,like
the cells of the stratum basale in the skin ,divide and undergo keratinization .The hair grows longer as
these cells are added to the base of the hair within the hair bulb.The hair grow longer as these cells are
added to the base of the hair within the hair bulb .Thus ,the root and shaft consist of columns of dead
keratinized epithelial cells.

Hair color
is determined by varying amounts and types of melanin.The production and distribution of melanin
by melanocytes occurs in the hair bulb by the same method as in the skin .With age, the amount of
melanin in hair can decrease, causing the hair color to become faded,or the hair can contain no
melanin and be white .Gray hair is usually a mixture of unfaded,faded, and white hairs .Associated
with each hair follicle are smooth muscle cells called the arrector (that which raises).Contraction of
the arrector pili causes the hair to become more perpendicular to the skin surface,or to “stand on end”
and it produces a raised area called a “ goose bump”.
Glands
The major glands of the skin are the sebaceous glands and the sweat glands .Sebaceous glands
are simple ,branched acinar glands .Most are connected by a duct to the superficial part of a
hair follicle.They produce sebum ,an oily ,white substance rich in lipids .The sebum is released
by holocrine secretion and lubricates protect against some bacteria.
There are two kinds of sweat glands

1.Eccrine sweat glands are simple ,coiled,tubular glands and release sweat by merocrine
secretion.Eccrine glands are location in almost every part of the skin but most numerous in palms
are soles .They produce a secretion that is mostly water with a few salts.Eccrine sweat glands
have ducts that open into the surface of the skin through sweat pores. When the temperature start
to rise above normal levels, the sweat glands produce sweat,which evaporates and cools the body
.Sweat can also be release in the palms,soles,armpits, and other places because of emotion stress.

2.Apocrine sweat glands are simple ,coiled,tubular glands that produce a thick secretion rich in
organic subtances.These subtances are release primarily by merocrine secretion,though some
glands demonstrate holocrine secretion..They open into hair follicles,but only in the armpits and
genitalia.Apocrine sweat glands become active at puberty because of the influence of sex
hormones.The organic secretion ,which is essentially odorless when release ,is quickly broken
down by bacteria into substances responsible for what is commonly known as body odor.
Nails
The nails is a thin plate , consisting of a layer of dead stratum corneum cells that contain a very
hard type of keratin.The visible part of the nail is the nail body and the part of the nail covered by
skin is the nail root.The cuticle of eponychium is stratum corneum that extends onto the nail
body .The nail root extends distally from the nail matrix .The nail also attaches to the underlying
nail bed ,which is located distal to the matrix .The nail matrix and bed are epithelial tissue with a
stratum basale that gives gives rise to the cells that form the nail.The nail matrix is thicker than the
nail bed and produces most of the nail .A small part of the nail matrix,the lunula can be seen
through the nail body as a whitish ,crecent shaped area at the base of the nail .Cell production
within the nail ,matrix causes the nail to grow .Unlike hair,nails grow continuously and do not have
a resting stage.
 Physiology of the integumentary system

Protection
1.The intact skin plays an important role in reducing water loss because is lipids acts as a barrier to the
diffusion of water from the deeper tissues of the body to the surface of the epidermis.

2.The skin acts as a barrier that prevent microorganisms and other foreign substances from entering the
body .Secretions from skins glands also produce an environment unsuitable for some microorganisms.

3.The stratified squamous epithelium of the skin protects underlying structures against abrasion.

4.Melanin absorbs ultraviolet light and protects underlying structures from its damaging effects.

5.Hair provides protection in several ways;The hair on the head acts as a heat insulator ,eyebrows keep sweat
out of the eyes, eyelashes protect the eyes from foreign objects, and hair in the nose and ears prevents the entry
of dust and other materials.

6.The nails protect the ends of the fingers and toes from damage and can be used in defense.
Sensation
Many sensory receptors are associated with the skin .Receptors in the epidermis and dermis can
detect pain ,heat ,cold and pressure .Although hair does not have nerve supply , sensory receptors
around the hair follicle can detect the movement od a hair.

Vitamin D Production
When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light ,a precursor molecule of vitamin D is formed.The
precurser is carried by the blood to the liver,where it is modified , and then to the kidneys, where the
precursor is modified further to form active vitamin D.If exposed to enough ultraviolet light,humans
can produce all the vitamin D they need .However many people need to ingest vitamin D as well
because clothing and indoor living reduce their exposure to ultraviolet light.Adequate levels of
vitamin D are necessary because active vitamin D stimulates the small intestine to absorb calcium
and phosphate ,the substances necessary for normal bone growth and normal muscle function .
Temperature Regulation
Body temperature normally is maintained at about 37 degree C .Regulation of body temperature is important
because the rate of chemical reactions within the body can be increased or decreased by changes in body
temperature .Even slight changes in temperature can make enzymes operates less efficiently and disrupt the
normal rates of changes in the body .

Exercise ,fever and an increase in environment temperature tent to raise body temperature .In order to maintain
homeostasis ,the body must rid itself of excess heat .Blood vessels in the dermis dilate and enable more blood to
flow within the skin .The excess heat is lost by radiation (infrared energy), convection (air movement), or
conduction (direct contact with an object) .Excess heat is also released as sweat spreads over the surface of the
skin and evaporates,thus reducing body temperature.

If body temperature begins to drop below normal,heat can be conserved by the constriction by the
dermal blood vessels ,which reduces blood flow to the skin.Thus, less heat is transferred from deeper
structures to the skin,and heat loss is reduced.However, with smaller amounts of warm blood flowing
through the skin ,the skin temperature decreases .If the skin temperature drops below about 15 degree C,dermal
blood vessels dilate.
Acne
Is inflammation of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands.
Four factors are believed to be responsible: Hormones ,sebum, abnormal production of cells and bacterium
Propionibacterium acnes .During puberty,hormones ,especially testosterone ,stimulate the sebaceous
glands ,and sebum production increases.Because
Both testes and the ovaries produce testosterone ,the effect is seen in males and females.

The lesions of acne begin with the overproduction of epidermal cells in the hair follicle.These cells are shed
from the wall of the hair follicle, and they stick to one another to form a mass of cells mixed with sebum that
blocks the hair follicle.An accumulation of sebum behind the blockage produces a whitehead.A blockhead
develops when the accumulating mass of cells and sebum pushes through the opening of the hair
follicle .Although there is general agreement that dirt is not responsible for the black color , the exact cause
is disputed . A pimple results if the wall of the hair follicles ruptures, forming an entry into the surrounding
tissue.Propionibacterium acnes and other bacteria stimulate an inflammatory response,which results in the
formation of a red pimple filled with pus.If tissue damage is extensive scarring occurs.
 Integumentary System As a Diagnostic Aid

The integumentary system is useful in diagnosis because it is observed easily and often reflects
events occurring in the other parts of the body. For example ,cyanosis , a bluish color to the skin
caused by decreased blood O2 content ,is an indication of impaired circulatory or respiratory
function .A yellowish skin color, called Jaundice ,can occur when the liver is damaged by a
disease, such as a viral hepatitis .Normally, the liver secretes bile pigments, which are products
of the breakdown of worn out red blood cells, into the intestine can indicate impaired liver
function .

Rashes and lesions in the skin can be symptoms of problems elsewhere in the body .For
example, scarlet fever results when bacteria infecting the throat release to toxin into the blood
that cause a reddish rash on the skin .The development of a rash can also indicate an allergic
reaction to foods or to drugs,such as penicillin.
Burns
A burns is injury to a tissue caused by heat,cold,friction ,chemicals electricity ,or radiation.Burn are classified
according to their depth .In partial thickness burns part of the
stratum basale remains viable, and regeneration of the epidermis occurs from within the burn area, as well as
from the edges of the burn.Partial thickness burn are divided into first and second degree burns.
First degree burns involve only the epidermis and are red and painful.Slight edema or swelling ,may be
present .They can be caused by sunburn or brief exposure to very hot or very cold objects ,and they heal without
scarring in about a week.

Second degree burns damage both the epidermis and the dermis.If dermal damage is minimal ,symptoms include
redness; pain ,edema ,and blister.Healing takes about 2 weeka ,and so scarring results.However , if the burn goes
deep into the dermis, the wound appears red,tan ,or white ; can take several months to heal ;and might scar.In all
second degree burns ,the epidermis ,including the stratum basale where the stems cells are found ,is damaged.

In full thickness burns or third degree burns , the epidermis and the dermis are completely destroyed , and
recovery occurs from the edges of the burn wound .Third degree burns often are surrounded by areas of first and
second degree burns.Although the fisrt and second degree burn areas are painful ,the region of third degree burn
is usually painless because sensory receptors in the epidermis and dermis have been destroyed .
The condition of the skin ,hair ,and nails is affected by nutritional status.In
vitamin A deficiency , the skin produces excess keratin and assumes a
characteristics sandpaper texture,where as in iron deficiency anemia the nails
lose their normal contour and become flat or concave(spoon shaped).

Hair concentrations many substances that can be detected by laboratory

analysis , and comparison of a patients hair with a “normal” hair can be
useful in certain diagnoses.For example, lead poisoning results in high levels
of lead in the hair .However,the use of hair analysis to determine the general
health or nutritional status od an individual is unrealiable .
Venous thrombosis
the development of a clot in a vein ,is another complication of burns.Blood normally forms a clot
when exposed to damaged tissue ,such as at a burn site,but clotting can also occur elsewhere,such
as in veins,where clots can block blood flow,resulting in tissue destruction.The concentration of
chemicals that cause blood clotting (called clotting factors) increases for two reasons : Loss of
fluid from the burn patient concentrates the chemicals ,and the liver releases an increased amount
of clotting factors.
Skin Cancer
Is the most common type of cancer .Although chemicals and radiation (x rays) are known to
induce cancer,the development of skin cancer most often is associated with exposure to ultra
violet (UV) light from the sun.Consequently,most skin cancer develop on the face ,neck ,or
hands.The group of people most likely to have skin cancer is fair skinned (they have less
protection from the sun) or older than 50 ( they have had long exposure to sun).
There are three main types of skin cancer:
1.Basal cell carcinoma - the most frequent type,begins with cells in the stratum basale and extends
into the dermis to produce an open ulcer.Surgical removal or radiation therapy curves this type of
cancer.Fortunately ,there is little danger that this type of cancer will spread ,or metastasize,to other
areas of the body.

2.Squamous cell carcinoma – develops from cells immediately superficial to the stratum
basale .Normally,these cells undergo little or no cell division ,but in squamous cell carcinoma ,the
cells continue to divide as they produce keratin.The typical result is a nodular keratinized tumor
confined to the epidermal .untrated,the tumor can invade the dermis, metastasize and cause of
death.

3.Malignant melanoma – is a rare form of skin cancer that arises from melacytes,usually in a
preexisting mole.A mole is an aggregating ,or nest, od melanocytes.The melanocytes can appear as
a large ,flat ,spreading lesion or as deeply pigmented nodule.Metastasis is common ,and unless
diagnose and treated early in development ,this cancer is often fatal.
Main types of Skin Cancer
Limiting exposure to the sun and using sunscreens that block ultraviolet light can
reduce the likelihood of developing skin cancer.Ultraviolet light is classified into
two types based on their wavelength: UVA has a longer wavelength than
UVB .Exposure to UVA causes most tanning of the skin but is associated with
the development of malignant melanoma.Exposure to UVB causes most burning
of the skin and is associated with the development of basal cell and squamous
cell carcinomas.It is advisable to use sunscreen that effectively block both UVA
and UVB.
Effect of Aging On The Integumentary System

As the body ages, the skin is more easily damaged because the epidermis thins and the amount of
collagen in the dermis decreases.Skin infection are more likely ,and repair of the skin occurs more
slowly .The skin begins to sag and wrinkle because of a decrease in the number of elastic fibers in
the dermis and loss of adipose tissue from subcutaneous tissue .A decrease in the activity of sweat
glands and in the blood supply to the dermis results in the reduced ability to regulate body
temperature.The skin becomes drier as sebaceous glands activity decreases. The number of
melanocytes generally decreases, but in some areas the number of melanocytes increases to
produce age spots. Note that age spots are different from freckles,which are caused by increased
melanin production.Gray or white hair also results because of a decrease in or a lack of melanin
production .Skin that is exposed to sunlight shows signs of aging more rapidly that nonexposed
skin, so avoiding overexposure to sunlight and using sunscreen is advisable.
Prepared by:

Agustin Shairine C.
Amistoso Keith J.
Alingasa Nino Y.
Thank you
and
God bless
Everyone