6 Integument

The Integumentary System
Ch. 6
The integumentary system
• Skin and derivatives:

– Hair
– Nails
– Cutaneous glands
Functions of the skin:
• A protective barrier.
• Vitamin D synthesis.
• Provides a reservoir for blood
• Cutaneous absorption and secretion.
• Sensory functions.
• Helps maintain body temperature.
• Social functions.
The skin as a barrier
• Pathogens:can generally only cross if skin is
injured or by vectors (mosquitoes, ticks,
etc.).
– Surface: protected by sebum, acid mantle
from sweat.
– Deep: macrophages and leukocytes.
• Water: most water is lost as sweat, that can
be regulated.
• UV light: blocked by melanin.
Absorption:
• Water soluble substances such as salts are
generally absorbed in negligible amounts.
– Exceptions: salts of heavy metals such as lead,

mercury, and arsenic. These are also absorbed
in small amounts but since they are so highly
toxic it is significant.
• Lipid-soluble materials: generally can penetrate

the skin.
– fat-soluble vitamins
– nonpolar organic solvents.
– Can carry in charged or polar materials
Vitamin D synthesis
• Regulates blood calcium and phosphate levels,
contributing to bone health.
– In dermal capillaries, UV rays convert a

cholesterol derivative to vitamin D3
– converted in the liver and kidneys to calcitriol,

the most active form of vitamin D.
Sensory functions
• Our most extensive sense organ.
• Has:
– Free nerve endings penetrating into the
epidermis
– A variety of specialized connective tissue
structures that tune nerve endings to a
particular type of stimulus.
Cutaneous sensations: from nerve endings and
receptors in the skin.
• touch
• pressure
• vibration
• tickling
• warmth and coolness.
• Pain
Structure of a
hair and its
follicle
Thermoregulation:
• Controlled by hypothalamus.
• Dump excess heat: dilate arteries of skin,

stimulate sweat glands.
• Conserve heat: constrict arteries of skin, don’t

sweat.
• Excretion: Some water evaporates through the
skin, and more leaves as sweat.

• Sweat removes:
– Heat
– Salts
– CO2
– ammonia and urea (toxic breakdown products
of proteins).
Types of skin
• Thick skin: palms, soles, and palmar
surfaces of fingers (and toes).
– Thick epidermis, with sweat glands but
no hair follicles or oil glands.
• Thin skin: every where else.

– Thin epidermis, with sweat glands, hair
follicles and oil glands.
Skin (integument)
• 2 layers of the skin:
– Epidermis: stratified squamous

epithelium
– Dermis: connective tissue deep to the

epidermis
• Hypodermis (subcutaneous tissue): another

connective tissue layer deep to the skin.
Figure 6.1
Figure 6.2
The hypodermis:
• Also called subcutaneous tissue or superficial
fascia.
• Generally has more areolar and adipose tissue than

dermis.
• When it has lots of adipose tissue, its called

subcutaneous fat.
Skin color: pigments
• Hemoglobin: in dermal capillaries gives reddish

or pinkish color.
• Melanin: in stratum basale and stratum spinosum,

gives brown, black, tan, yellowish, and reddish
colors.
• Carotene: a yellow pigment from food.

Abnormal skin colors:
• Cyanosis: a blue tint due to low blood
oxygen.
– low pickup of O2 in lungs or slow blood
flow to skin.
• Erythema: redness of skin due to increased

blood flow to skin.
– Embarrassment, anger, exercise,
overheating, sunburn.
• Jaundice: A yellowish tint in skin and
whites of eyes due to high levels of bilirubin.
– High rates of RBC destruction or liver
insufficiency.
• Bronzing: a golden-brown color due to a

deficiency of glucocorticoid hormones.
– Addison’s disease
• Pallor: a pale or ashen color due to low
blood flow to skin.
– Emotional stress, low blood pressure,
circulatory shock, cold temperature, or
severe anemia.
• Albinism: a genetic lack of melanin due to a

recessive tyrosinase allele.
• Hematoma: a bruise. A mass of clotted

blood showing through the skin.
Cutaneous glands
• Sweat (sudoriferous) glands
• Sebaceous glands
• Ceruminous glands
• Breasts and mammary glands.
2 types of sudoriferous glands:
Merocrine (eccrine) and apocrine
• Eccrine sweat glands: The most abundant type.
– help regulate body temperature
– regulated by the CNS
– triggered by heat or emotional stress.
• The secretory portion is located in dermis. The

duct extends through the dermis and epidermis and
ends as a pore at the skin surface.
• Apocrine sweat glands: don’t start to function
until puberty.
• Found only in certain regions- armpits and

urogenital area.
• The secretion contains some fatty substances and

proteins.
– bacteria act on it and cause an unpleasant odor.

Sebaceous glands: oil glands.
• open into the neck of a hair follicle or directly onto
the skin.
• Secrete sebum.
– coats hairs, keeping them from becoming brittle
– prevents excessive evaporation from the skin
– keeps the skin soft and pliable
– inhibits the growth of some bacteria.

Ceruminous glands:
• modified sweat glands in the external ear
• produce a waxy secretion.
• cerumen (earwax) the combined secretions of

ceruminous glands and sebaceous (oil) glands in
the auditory canal.
• Breasts (mammae): present in both sexes.
• Mammary glands: milk-producing glands found

in the breasts.
– Modified sweat glands
Skin wound healing.
• 2 kinds of wound-healing processes can occur,
depending on the depth of the injury.
• Epidermal wound healing occurs following wounds

that affect only the epidermis.
• Deep wound healing occurs following wounds that

penetrate the dermis or subcutaneous layers.
Epidermal wound healing
Deep wound healing
1. Bleeding into the
wound
2. Blood clot and
macrophages
3. New capillaries grow,
granulation tissue
forms
4. Epithelial regeneration
and connective tissue
fibrosis
Skin cancer: almost all cases are caused
by excessive exposure to the sun.
3 common forms:

• Basal cell carcinomas:
Non-melanoma
skin cancer
• Squamous cell carcinomas:
• Malignant melanomas:
Basal cell carcinomas
• about 78% of all skin cancers.
• First appear as a small shiny bump
• The tumors arise from cells of the stratum basale
& invade dermis
• treated by surgical removal & radiation
• rarely metastasize.
Figure 6.11a
Squamous cell carcinomas
• about 20% of skin cancers.
• First appear as a raised, scaly, reddish area
• have a variable tendency to metastasize.
• arise from keratinocytes in the stratum
spinosum
• if neglected, metastasis to the lymph
nodes can be lethal
Figure 6.11b
malignant melanomas
• The deadliest but least common
– about 2-5% of all skin cancers.
• Usually arise from melanocytes of a preexisting

mole.
• The most common life-threatening cancer in young

women.
• Successful treatment depends on early detection.

Figure 6.11c
ABCD:
• A = asymmetry
• B = border- notched, indented,

scalloped, or indistinct borders
• C = color: they have uneven

coloration, or even several
colors.
• D = diameter: Once a
malignant melanoma has the
symptoms ABC, it is usually
larger than 6 mm in diameter.
Risk factors:
• 1) skin type: people with light colored skin are at highest
risk.
• 2) sun exposure: people who live in sunny regions or at

high altitude, spend lots of time outdoors, or have had 3 or
more severe sunburns have higher risk.
• 3) Family history
• 4) Age:
• 5) Immunological status: immunosuppression increases

risk.
Burns:
• Causes of burns -- hot water, sunlight, radiation,
electric shock or acids and bases.
• Causes of death
– fluid loss, infection, & effects of dead tissue
• Treatment -- fluid replacement & infection

control
– IV proteins, nutrients & fluids
Effects of third degree burns:
• Local effect: damage to tissues directly in contact with the
damaging agent.
• Systemic effects: the major threats to life.

• 1) loss of lots of plasma, water, and plasma proteins,
causing shock
• 2) bacterial infection
– Debridement to remove dead tissue
• 3) reduced blood circulation
• 4) decreased urine production
• 5) decreased immune responses

6 Integument

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6 Integument

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The Integumentary System

• Skin and derivatives:

– Exceptions: salts of heavy metals such as lead,

• Lipid-soluble materials: generally can penetrate

– In dermal capillaries, UV rays convert a

– converted in the liver and kidneys to calcitriol,

• Dump excess heat: dilate arteries of skin,

• Conserve heat: constrict arteries of skin, don’t

• Thin skin: every where else.

– Epidermis: stratified squamous

– Dermis: connective tissue deep to the

• Hypodermis (subcutaneous tissue): another

• Generally has more areolar and adipose tissue than

• When it has lots of adipose tissue, its called

• Hemoglobin: in dermal capillaries gives reddish

• Melanin: in stratum basale and stratum spinosum,

• Carotene: a yellow pigment from food.

• Erythema: redness of skin due to increased

• Bronzing: a golden-brown color due to a

• Albinism: a genetic lack of melanin due to a

• Hematoma: a bruise. A mass of clotted

• The secretory portion is located in dermis. The

• Found only in certain regions- armpits and

• The secretion contains some fatty substances and

– bacteria act on it and cause an unpleasant odor.

– coats hairs, keeping them from becoming brittle

– prevents excessive evaporation from the skin

– keeps the skin soft and pliable

– inhibits the growth of some bacteria.

• produce a waxy secretion.

• cerumen (earwax) the combined secretions of

• Mammary glands: milk-producing glands found

• Epidermal wound healing occurs following wounds

• Deep wound healing occurs following wounds that

– about 2-5% of all skin cancers.

• Usually arise from melanocytes of a preexisting

• The most common life-threatening cancer in young

• Successful treatment depends on early detection.

• B = border- notched, indented,

• C = color: they have uneven

• 2) sun exposure: people who live in sunny regions or at

• 5) Immunological status: immunosuppression increases

• Treatment -- fluid replacement & infection

• Systemic effects: the major threats to life.

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