Chapter 6 Integumentary System

I. Membranes
A. Serous
1. Line body cavities that lack openings to the external environment
2. Composed of a layer of simple squamous epithelium (mesothelium) & a thin layer
of connective tissue
3. Secrete watery serous fluid that helps to lubricate & protect organ surfaces in
thorax & abdomen
B. Mucous
1. Line cavities & tubes that open to the external environment-oral & nasal cavities,
respiratory system, urinary system & reproductive system
2. Epithelium overlying a layer of loose connective tissue
a. Stratified squamous epithelium- oral cavity
b. Pseudostratified columnar epithelium- nasal cavity
c. Simple columnar epithelium- small intestine
3. Specialized cells (goblet) within membrane secrete mucous
C. Synovial
1. Inner lining of joint cavities between the ends of bones at freely movable joints
(synovial joints)
2. Loose connective tissue with elastic tissue & some adipose tissue
3. Secrete thick colorless synovial fluid that lubricates the joint
D. Cutaneous membrane- skin
II. Skin Figs. 6.2, 6.3 & Table 6.1
A. Vital for homeostasis
1. Prevents substances from entering ex. microorganisms
2. Retards water loss & helps regulate body temperature
3. Houses sensory receptors
4. Contains immune system cells
5. Synthesizes various chemicals
6. Excretes small quantities of waste
B. Bilayer
1. Epidermis-stratified squamous epithelium- stratum basale, stratum spinosum,
stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum (only in palms & soles) & stratum corneum, cancer
in stratum basale layer is called squamous cell carcinoma
a. Lacks blood vessels but stratum basale (stratum geminativum or basal cell layer)
is fed by dermal blood vessels
b. Stratum basale is the only layer of dividing cells & these cells are pushed up
where they become nutrient deficient & eventually die
c. Membranes of older cells (keratinocytes) thicken & develop desmosomes (tight
junctions) to fasten to adjacent cells forming a protective layer
d. Cells harden from the production of a tough, fibrous, waterproof protein called
keratin (keratinization)
e. In healthy skin loss of cells from the stratum corneum is balanced with division
of cells in the stratum basale
f. Areas of skin that are repeatedly rubbed or pressed form calluses from an
increased rate of cell division in the stratum basale
g. Specialized cells (melanocytes) produce a dark pigment that absorbs light
energy & protects against UV radiation in sunlight Fig. 6.4
i. Located in stratum basale
ii. Have long extensions that can transfer granules of melanin to other cell layers
by cytocrine secretion
iii. Cancer of these cells is called melanoma
2. Dermis- irregular dense connective tissue containing collagen & elastic fibers,
epithelial tissue, smooth muscle tissue, nervous tissue & blood
a. A basement membrane separates epidermis from dermis
b. Surface between two layers is uneven because of dermal papillae projecting into
epidermal layer (fingerprints)
c. Dermis anchors the epidermis to underlying tissue
d. Smooth muscle tissue associated with hair follicles & glands
e. Striated muscle is anchored to the dermis in the face & is responsible for facial
expressions
f. Sensory receptors- specialized nerve fibers
i. Meissner's corpuscles- light touch
ii. Pacinian corpuscles- heavy pressure or vibrations
iii. Thermoreceptors- detect temperature
C. Subcutaneous layer (hypodermis)- not part of the skin
a. Loose connective & adipose tissue
b. Helps to bind skin to underlying organs
c. No sharp boundary between dermis & subcutaneous layer
d. Helps to insulate the body
e. Contains blood vessels that branch & become dermal blood vessels
D. Accessory organs of the skin
1. Hair follicles- develops from a group of epidermal cells at the base of a tube Fig.
6.5
a. Hair is present on all skin except palms, soles, lips, nipples & parts of external
reproductive organs
b. Hair papilla- projection of connective tissue containing dermal blood vessels
that feed the epidermal cells at the base of the hair follicle
c. Hair follicle- epidermal cells that divide, are pushed up & become keratinized
d. Dark hair has more melanin then light hair
e. Red hair contains an iron pigment (trichosiderin)
f. Albinism- white hair with no melanin
2. Arrector pili- smooth muscle associated with hair follicles that contracts in
response to emotions or cold (goose bumps)
3. Nails- specialized epithelial cells that reproduce & form keratinized scales in an
area called the lunula Fig. 6.7
4. Sebaceous glands Fig. 6.8
a. Associated with hair follicles & located throughout the body but not on palms &
soles, lips, corners of the mouth or external reproductive organs
b. Produce a fatty substance that accumulates & bursts the cell (holocrine gland)
c. Mix of cell & secretions is called sebum which keeps the hair & skin pliable &
waterproof
d. Excess sebum can cause acne (anaerobic bacterial infection)
5. Sweat glands (suderiferous glands) Fig. 6.9 & Table 6.2
a. Eccrine Fig. 6.10
i. Consists of tiny tube that originates as a ball shaped coil in the deeper dermis
or subcutaneous layer
ii. Responds throughout life to increase in body temperature from heat or
exercise
iii. Secrete mostly water but also small quantities of salts, urea & uric acid
(excretory function)
b. Apocrine
i. Ducts of these glands open onto hair follicles in groin, axillary region &
region around the nipple
ii. Secretions are metabolized by bacteria & produce an odor
iii. Become active at puberty
iv. Respond to emotional stress, pain or sexual arousal
c. Ceruminous glands- modified sweat gland that produces wax in the ear canal
d. Female mammary gland- modified sweat gland that produces milk (apocrine)
III. Regulation of body temperature Fig 6.11
A. Heat production & loss
1. Metabolic activity releases heat (mostly skeletal & cardiac muscle)
2. Heat warms the blood which is carried to the brain
3. A part of the brain (hypothalamus) detects the increase in blood temperature
above set point
a. Nervous system signals dermal blood vessels to dilate dissipating the heat to
the body surface
b. Nervous system signals deeper blood vessels to contract shuttling blood to
superficial dermal vessels
c. Nervous system signals heart to beat faster pumping blood more quickly to
dermal vessels
d. Nervous system signals eccrine glands to release sweat to body surface where
it evaporates & carries heat away from the surface cooling the skin
4. Three mechanisms for heat loss
a. Radiation- primary heat loss, infrared heat rays escape from warmer surfaces
to cooler surroundings in all directions
b. Conduction- heat moves from body directly into molecules of cooler objects
c. Convection- heat moves from body directly into molecules of air close to the
body (are then carried away by air currents)
5. Hypothalamus detects the decrease in blood temperature below set point
a. Nervous system signals dermal blood vessels to constrict reducing heat loss
b. Nervous system signals deeper blood vessels to dilate shuttling blood away
from superficial dermal vessels
c. Nervous system signals skeletal muscles to contract producing heat
(shivering)
B. Hyperthermia- elevated body temperature may result in heat exhaustion
(dehydration, fatigue, dizziness, headache, muscle cramps & nausea)
 C. Hypothermia- lowered body temperature (shivering, mental confusion, lethargy,
loss of reflexes, loss of consciousness, shutting down of major organs, respiratory failure
& heart arrhythmias)
IV. Healing of wounds & burns Fig. 6.13
A. Inflammation- normal response to injury or stress
1. Blood vessels in affected area dilate & become more permeable to fluid
carrying oxygen, nutrients & cells responsible for healing
2. Inflamed skin becomes red, swollen, warm & painful to touch
B. Cuts
1. Shallow- epithelial cells are stimulated to divide & fill the gap
2. Deep- extends into dermis or subcutaneous layer
a. Blood vessels break & escaping blood forms a clot (fibrin, blood cells &
platelets)
b. Tissue fluids seep into area
c. Dried fluids & clot form a scab
d. Fibroblasts migrate into area & produce collagenous fibers that bind the
edges of the wound together
e. Connective tissue matrix produces growth factors that stimulate certain cells
to divide & regenerate tissue
f. Blood vessels extend into area
g. Phagocytic cells clean up dead cells & cellular debris
h. If the wound is large, new blood vessels with clusters of collagen secreting
fibroblasts (granulations) may appear
i. Some of the new blood vessels may be resorbed leaving the collagenous fibers
(scar)
C. Burns
1. First degree (superficial partial thickness)
a. Erythema- redness & swelling (mild edema)
b. Damage only to epidermal layer
c. Healing occurs by shedding the skin & stimulation of the stratum basale layer
to divide faster
2. Second degree (deep partial thickness)
a. Fluid escapes from dermal blood vessels that are damaged & forms blister
b. Damage to epidermis & dermis but some accessory organs (sebaceous glands,
hair follicles & sweat glands) remain intact
c. Healing comes from proliferation of epidermal cells within the accessory
organs that grow up and spread out over the surface replacing the epidermal layer
3. Third degree (full thickness)
a. Damage to all of epidermis & dermis
b. Healing
i. Spontaneous healing only occurs from proliferation of epithelial cells at the
margin of the burn
ii. Autografts- removing thin layer of skin from unburned area of same
individual & grafting it onto burned region
iii. Homografts- skin from cadaver is grafted onto burned region
iv. Skin substitutes
 iva. Amniotic membranes that surround a human fetus
ivb. Artificial membranes made from silicone, polyurethane or nylon
coupled with a network of collagenous fibers
ivc. Cultured human epithelial cells