INTEGUMENTARY

SYSTEM
Cutaneous membrane
Epidermis – epithelial tissue
Dermis – connective tissue
Accessory Structures
Glands
Hair (hair follicles)
Nails
Deep to skin – not part of skin:
Hypodermis = subcutaneous (subQ)
Layers and appendages of skin
Overview of Epidermis
 Stratified squamous epithelium
 Contains no blood vessels
 4 types of cells
 5 distinct strata (layers) of cells
 Based on epidermis layer  skin divided into 2 class : thin and thick
skin
 Thick and Thin Skin
• Thick skin • Thin skin
– Has all 5 epithelial – More flexible than thick
strata skin
– Found in areas subject – Covers rest of body,
to pressure or friction everywhere else
• Palms of hands, – lacks Stratum lucidum
fingertips, soles of – Hair folicles, Sebaceous
feet glands
– Fingerprints and – Sparser sensory receptors
footprints. – Lacks epidermal ridges
– Papillae of underlying
dermis in parallel rows
Comparison of thick skin and thin skin
Layers (strata) of epidermis in thick skin
 Stratum Corneum (5)
 25 to 30 layers of flat dead
cells filled with keratin and
surrounded by lipids
 Continuously shed
 Keratinization (cornification) :
formation of layers of cells
filled with keratin
 Barrier to light, heat, water,
chemicals & bacteria
 Friction stimulates callus
formation
 Stratum Lucidum (4)
 Seen in thick skin on
palms & soles of feet
 Three to five layers of
clear, flat, dead cells
and filled with
keratin
 Stratum Granulosum
 3 - 5 layers of flat dying cells
 Show nuclear degeneration
 Contain dark-staining
keratohyalin granules and
keratin
• keratin fibers develop  cells
become thinner and flatter
• Cell membranes thicken and
become less permeable
• Keratohyalin forms dense
granules in the cytoplasm 
promote the dehydration of
the cell  nuclei and other
organelles then disintegrate
 the cells die
• Contain lamellar granules that
release lipid that repels water
 Stratum Spinosum
 8 to 10 cell layers held
together by desmosomes
 During slide preparation,
cells shrink and look
spiny
 Melanin taken in by
phagocytosis from
nearby melanocytes
 Stratum Basale
• Deepest layer
• single layer cells resting on
basement membrane attached
to underlying dermis
• Called stratum germinativum
• Combination of merkel cells,
melanocytes, keratinocytes &
stem cells that divide repeatedly
• Forms epidermal ridges 
increasing the area of contact
between the two regions
 Epithelium:
layers (on left) and cell types (on right)
Cell types of the Epidermis
 Keratinocytes--90%
 produce keratin
 Melanocytes-----8 %
 produces melanin pigment
 melanin transferred to other
cells with long cell processes
 Langerhan cells
 from bone marrow
 provide immunity
 Merkel cells
 in deepest layer
 form touch receptor with
sensory neuron
Epidermal Layers and Keratinization
The large clear cells in the stratum basale are melanocytes (A) that synthesize
melanin and package it in membrane-bound structures called melanosomes, which
are transported to the peripheral cytoplasm of the dendritic processes of the
melanocytes. Pieces of the dendritic cytoplasm are pinched off from the cell and
taken up by the keratinocytes (B). In this image, some of the cells in the stratum
spinosum show the presence of melanin in their cytoplasm
 Dermis (Corium)
 Connective tissue layer
composed of collagen & elastic
fibers, fibroblasts,
macrophages & fat cells
 Contains hair follicles, glands,
nerves & blood vessels
 Major regions of dermis
 papillary region
 reticular region
Dermis layers
 Papillary Region
 Top 20% of dermis
 Composed of loose CT & elastic fibers
 Finger like projections called dermal papillae
 Functions
 anchors epidermis to dermis
 contains capillaries that feed epidermis
 contains Meissner’s corpuscles (touch) & free nerve endings (pain and
temperature)
 Reticular Region
 Dense irregular connective tissue
 Contains interlacing collagen and elastic fibers
 Packed with oil glands, sweat gland ducts, fat & hair follicles
 Provides strength, extensibility & elasticity to skin
The papillary and reticular layers of the dermis
 Hypodermis

• subcutaneous tissue, superficial fascia

• Mostly adipose tissue (some areolar)
• Obesity due to accumulation of subcutaneous fat
• About 8% thicker in women than men
• Functions:
• Binds skin to underlying tissue
• Energy reservoir (fat)
• Thermal insulation
• Padding/cushioning
• Hypodermic injections (subQ)
• Highly vascular
 Degrees of Burn Injuries
Partial-thickness burns Full-thickness burns

(a) First degree (b) Second degree (c) Third degree

Epidermal Wound Healing

Copyright 2009, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 25

Deep Wound Healing

Copyright 2009, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 26