The

Integumentary
System

The Integumentary System
1. The Skin and the hypodermis
2. Appendages of the skin
The Skin and the Hypodermis
Functions:
Cushions and insulates deeper organs
Protects from injury, chemicals, heat, and cold
Excretes urea, salt & water through sweat
Prevents water loss
Regulates Body Temperature
Regulates calcium and phosphate Levels
Screens out UV rays from the sun
Contains sensory receptors associated with nerve
endings
Excretes sweat, sebum, and milk
The Skin and the Hypodermis
Skin the largest organ
Varies in thickness form 1.5 to 4mm
Divided into two distinct layers
i. Epidermis
ii. Dermis
Hypodermis fatty layer, lies deep to the
dermis
Skin Structure
Skin Structure
Epidermis
Composed of keratinized
stratified squamous epithelial
cells
Contains four main cell types
Keratinocytes
Melanocytes
Merkel cells
Langerhans cells (Epidermal
DENDRITIC cells)
Keratinocytes and Melanocytes






Epidermis
Keratinocytes most abundant cell type
Arise from deepest layer of epidermis
Produce keratin a tough fibrous protein
Keratinocytes at skin's surface are dead
Layers of the Epidermis
1. Stratum basale
2. Stratum spinosum
3. Stratum granulosum
4. Stratum lucidum
5. Stratum corneum

5 Layers: from inside outwards
Epidermal Cells and Layers
Layers of Epidermis
1. Stratum basale or Stratum
germinativum
Lies next to dermis
Most cells are kertatinocytes
Cells undergo mitosis
Merkel cells (Tactile cells)-
associated with sensory nerve
ending
Melanocytes- secrete the
pigment melanin; long
cytoplasmic processes branch
out into layers above
Melanin pigment surrounds
keratinocyte nuclei
Layers of Epidermis
1. Stratum basale or Stratum
germinativum
2. Stratum spinosum
intermediate filaments,
Langerhans cells (dendritic
cells)
Receptor-mediated endocytosis;
communicate to lymph nodes
3. Stratum granulosum
4. Stratum lucidum
5. Stratum corneum
Layers of Epidermis
1. Stratum basale or Stratum
germinativum
2. Stratum spinosum
3. Stratum granulosum-
Consists of flattened
keratinocytes (dead cells),
granules
Keratin & glycolipid
4. Stratum lucidum
5. Stratum corneum
Layers of Epidermis
1. Stratum basale or Stratum
germinativum
2. Stratum spinosum
3. Stratum granulosum
4. Stratum lucidum cells
flatter, dead keratinocytes
Occurs only in hairless,
thick skin (palm & sole)
Accumulate keratin
Farther away from blood
supply dead
5. Stratum corneum
Thin vs Thick Skin
Layers of Epidermis
1. Stratum basale or Stratum
germinativum
2. Stratum spinosum
3. Stratum granulosum
4. Stratum lucidum
5. Stratum corneum
Cornified dead cells
Filled with keratin
Protects against injury &
desiccation
Melanin
Pigment produced by
melanocytes
Color: yellow to brown to
black
Melanocytes - stratum
basale
Amount of melanin
produced
genetic control
exposure to sunlight
Dermis
Second layer of the skin
Richly supplied with
nerves and blood
vessels (plexus)
Has two layers
1. Papillary layer
superficial 20%
2. Reticular layer deeper
80%
Skin Structure
Skin Structure
1. Papillary layer
Superficial layer, areolar connective tissue
Dermal papillae project into epidermis
Epidermal ridges formed
2. Reticular layer
Dense irregular CT
reticulum: network of collagen & elastic fibers

Skin Structure
Flexion Creases & Dermis
Continual folding of skin
over joints

Dermis is attached
tightly to underlying
structures
Fingerprints
Dermal ridges elevate the epidermis Epidermal Ridges
Reticular Layer of Dermis
Wrinkles
Lines of cleavage / Tension Lines: Less
dense regions
Represent the separations between
bundles of collagen fibers in reticular
dermis
Structures in the Dermis
Blood vessels
Tactile (Meissners) Corpuscles
Sense of light touch
Lamellated (Pacinian) Corpuscles
Pressure sensors
Structures in the Dermis
Tactile (Meissners) Corpuscles
Lamellated (Pacinian) Corpuscles
Free Nerve Endings
Sense of temperature and pain
Root Hair Plexus
Sensory nerves
around hair bulb

Sense movement of
hair and skin
Hypodermis
Not part of skin
Contains areolar and adipose connective
tissues
Anchors skin to underlying structures
Helps insulate the body
Hypodermis (Superficial Fascia or
Subcutaneous Fat)
Abnormal Skin Colors
Cyanosis - blueness from deficiency of oxygen in the
circulating blood (cold weather)
Erythema abnormal redness due to dilated cutaneous
vessels (anger, sunburn, embarrassment)
J aundice - yellowing of skin and sclera due to excess of
bilirubin in blood (liver disease)
Albinism - a genetic lack of melanin
Hematoma - a bruise (visible clotted blood) showing
through skin
Pallor pale color under stress, shock, cold, severe
anemia
Skin Markings
Hemangiomas (birthmarks)
discolored skin caused by benign tumors of dermal blood
capillaries
Freckles and moles = aggregations of melanocytes
freckles are flat; moles are elevated
Friction ridges leave oily fingerprints on touched surfaces
unique pattern formed during fetal development
Flexion creases mark lines where skin folds during flexion of
joints
Appendages of the Skin
1. Hair & hair follicles
2. Sebaceous glands
3. Sweat glands
4. Nails
Accessory Structures of the Skin
Hair
Muscles (Arrector pili)
Sebaceous Glands
Sudoriferous Glands
Mammary Glands
Ceruminous Glands
Nails
Hair = Pilus
Hair & Hair Follicles
Hair- long flexible strand of
keratinized cells
Hair follicle tubular
invagination of the epidermis
Hair produced by hair follicle
Daughter cells pushed up,
keratinized & die

Structure of Hair
Three zones along the length of a
hair:
1. Hair bulb: a swelling at
the dermal base
2. Hair root: embedded in
the skin
3. Hair shaft: projects
above the skin surface

Hair Shaft and Hair Root have 3 layers
Cuticle
Cortex
Medulla
C.S. of a Hair
600X
Three concentric layers of keratinized
cells
1. Cuticle single layer of scale-like
cells that overlap
2. Cortex several layers of flattened
cells
3. Medulla large cells
Scanning EM of hair shaft
Scale-like cells of the cuticle
L.S. of Base of Follicle
Hair Shaft
(Cuticle, cortex, Medulla)
Structure of Hair Follicle
Blood capillaries
Extends into the dermis
Deep end of follicle is
expanded: Hair Bulb
Hair Papilla: Connective tissue
projecting into the bulb.
Hair Matrix: epithelial cells
above the papilla in the bulb;
form the growth zone
Cells of matrix divide
Root hair plexus: Knot of
sensory nerves around hair bulb
Hair Bulb
Hair Papilla
Hair matrix
L.S. of Base of Follicle
1
2a
2b
Wall of hair follicle is composed of 2 sheaths:
1. Connective tissue root sheath: Outer (from Dermis)
2. Epithelial root sheath: Inner (Epidermis) surround hair
root
L.S. of Base of Follicle
Melanocytes provide pigment for hair
color
Hair Associated Structures
Arrector pili
Smooth muscle
Extend from dermal papillae
Contract- hair pulled upright
(PILOERECTION)
Arrector Pili
Functions of Hair
Senses
Guards
Shields
Protects
Hair Color
Eumelanin pigment in
black & brown hair
Blond hair contain pheomelanin
pigment, but little eumelanin.
Hair color: different
melanin pigments
in cells of cortex
Red hair contains little
eumelanin but lots of
pheomelanin.
Hair Color
White hair - air bubbles in medulla
and lack of pigment in cortex.
Gray hair - mix of white & pigmented
hairs; lack tyrosinase
Hair Texture
Straight hair:
Round in C.S.
Wavy hair: Oval
in C.S.

Curly hair: Flat in
C.S.
Oil glands
Present all over, except
palms & soles
Simple alveolar glands;
Holocrine secretion
Ducts empty into a hair
follicle
Secretion~ SEBUM
Lubricant for skin
Kills bacteria
Slows water loss
Sebaceous Glands
Sebaceous
Gland
Hair
Follicle
Sebaceous Glands
Acne
Excess sebum is produced. Duct is blocked.
Bacterial infection leads to inflammation.
May burst into the dermis.
Blackheads
Blocked sebum oxidizes & dries
Darkens to form blackhead
Produce sweat
Widely distributed in skin
Temperature regulation
Excretory product: is a blood filtrate, passes
through secretory cells of sweat glands, released
by exocytosis
Composition- 99% water, salts, acidic excretory
products

Sweat Glands or Sudoriferous glands
Two types
Eccrine (or merocrine) glands more
numerous
Apocrine glands

Sweat Glands or Sudoriferous glands
Sweat Glands
Coiled simple tubular gland
Open via duct to a pore on skin
surface
Usually do not extend as far
into dermis
Produce acidic sweat (pH 4-6)
Involved in heat-regulating
system
Eccrine / Merocrine Glands
Dense in palms and
soles (~3000 per sq inch)
Ducts empty into hair
follicles
Scalp, neck, axillary
& genital areas
Sweat also contains
lipids, proteins
Body odor

Apocrine Sweat Glands
Apocrine Sweat
Glands
(wide lumen)
Merocrine Sweat
Glands
(narrow lumen)
Modified Sweat Glands
Ceruminous glands external ear canal
Mammary glands

Ceruminous Glands
Location
Secretion combines with sebum
earwax
Waterproof, keeps eardrum
flexible
Block foreign particles, kills
bacteria
Milk-producing glands
Modified apocrine sweat
gland
Ducts open on the nipple
Mammary Glands
Mammary Glands
Nails
Scale-like modifications of the epidermis
Heavily keratinized
Each nail has
A free edge
A body- visible attached part
A root- embedded
Nail overlapped by folds of skin- Nail Folds
Thick proximal nail fold- Cuticle / Eponychium
Nails
Stratum basale of epidermis extends beneath
the nail as the nail bed
Proximal thickened area of nail bed - nail matrix
Responsible for growth
Cells produced become keratinized and die

No pigment colorless (pink?)
Nails
Region over thickened
nail matrix: White
Crescent
Toe Nail