Integumentary

System
Francis Ian L. Salaver, RMT,
MD
 Integumentary System
• Composed of the skin, hair, oil and sweat glands, nail
and sensory receptors
 Skin
• Cutaneous membrane = covers external
surface of the body
• Largest organ in the body in both surface
area and weight (15-20% of the body
weight)

• Has two parts:

– EPIDERMIS - Superficial thinner portion/
Epithelial portion
– DERMIS – Deeper thicker connective tissue
Strong
adhesion
between
epidermis
and dermis
are the
DERMAL
PAPILLAE
and
EPIDERMAL
RIDGE
 Skin
• Hypodermis = also known as
subcutaneous layer; composed of adipose
tissue and loose connective tissue
– Anchors the connective tissue to the
underlying fascia, muscle and bone
– Storage of fats
– Contains large blood vessels which gives of
smaller branch to the dermis
 Functions of the Skin
• PROTECTION
– Keratin provides protection against microbes,
abrasion/friction, heat, and chemicals

– Langerhan cells (macrophage of the skin)

provides protection against microbes

– Prevents dehydration and even entry of

water during swim or shower (lamellar
granules= lipids)
 Functions of the Skin
• PROTECTION
–Sweat (high in salt) and sebum
(fatty acid) also contains antimicrobial
substances

– Pigment melanin protects us from UV light

rays from the sun and prevent skin cancer
 Functions of the Skin

• Cutaneous sensation (Nerve endings)

– Touch, Tickling, Pressure, Vibrations and
Thermal sensations
– Pain may signify injury or impending tissue
damage
 Functions of the Skin

• Thermoregulation
– Constant body temperature is maintained by
the layer of fat under the skin and the hair

– Accelerated heat loss through sweating and

dilation of blood vessels
 Functions of the Skin
• Metabolic
– Synthesis of Vitamin D from cholesterol
 Functions of the Skin
• Sexual signaling
– Hair
– Pigmentation
 Epidermis
• Stratified squamous epithelium
– Multiple layers of keratinocytes
– Including melanocytes, Langerhans and
Merkel cells

• 5 zones (from the lowermost to uppermost layer)

– Stratum basale (Stratum germinativum)

– Stratum spinosum
– Stratum granulosum
– Stratum lucidum
– Stratum corneum
 Stratum Basale
(Stratum Germinativum)
• Single layer of cuboidal cells with large nuclei
• Stem cells undergo mitosis to produce new keratinocytes
• Desmosomes – attach cells to each other
• Hemidesmosomes
– Attaches cell to basement membrane
 Stratum Basale
(Stratum Germinativum)
• Highly mitotic
• Contain stem cells, its proliferation is responsible
for the continuous renewal of the epithelium

– Active mitosis
– Human epidermis renewed every 15-30 days
 Stratum Spinosusm
• Polyhedral or slightly flattened cells than the basal layer (8-10
layers) = cells are produced from the stem cells of the stratum
basale
• Prominent feature is the presence in the cytoplasm of
numerous bundles of keratin
– Seen on light microscope and are calledtonofibrils which end and insert
atdesmosomes
– Therefore play an important role in maintaining cell cohesion
 Stratum spinosum
• Thickest layer
• Comprised largely the epidermal ridge
 Stratum Granulosum
• Consists of 3-5 layers of flattened polygonal cells
• Cytoplasm contain large granules with irregular
shape called keratohyaline and lamellar granules.
• Keratohyaline
granules is
composed dense
compact keratin

• Lamellar granules
contain glycolipids
and other lipids
which prevents loss
of water
• Nuclei begin to
degenerate in the
outer row of the
stratum
granulosum

• Nuclei are rarely

seen in the stratum
lucidum
 Stratum Lucidum
• A 4-6 layers of thin, translucent, lightly stained, flat
refractile cells
• Large amount of keratin
• Layer is seen in thick skin like the skin of palms
and soles
 Stratum Corneum

• Consists of 25-30 layers of flattened non-

nucleated heavily keratinized cells (horny cells)
• Cytoplasm is filled with keratin filaments
• Surface cells are continuously shed
(desquamated)
 Other Epidermal Cells
• Melanocytes – melanin-producing cell of
the skin; found within the stratum basale

Note:
Color of the skin is because of the
following:
1.Melanin
2.Carotene
3.Hemoglobin
 Langerhans Cells
• Phagocytic cells found mainly in the
stratum spinosum

• Function
– Antigen trapping and antigen presentation
to T cells
 Merkel cells
• Mechanoreceptor for light touch
sensation
• Found at the basal layer
 Dermis(Corium)
• Tough leathery layer of connective tissue that
supports the epidermis and binds it to the
subcutaneous tissue

• Composed of collagen and elastic fibers which

provides it with tensile strength and stretching
force
 Dermis

• 2 layers are identified

– Superficial papillary layer (collagen type I, III, VII)
• Loose connective tissue
• Contains collagen 7 to attach dermis to the basement
membrane

– Deeper reticular layer (collagen type I)

• Dense irregular connective tissue
Accessory Structures of the Skin
• Hairs
• Sebaceous gland
• Sweat gland
• Nails
 Hairs
• Present in all areas in the body
except palm and soles; glans
penis and clitoris

• Heavily distributed on the

scalp, eyebrows, axilla,
external genitalia
 Hairs

• Hair is composed of keratinized

epidermal cells invaginating
towards the dermis
 Hair Follicle
Structure
• Hair bulb – terminal dilatation
of growing hair follicles

• Hair papilla – inserts the

base of the hair bulb and
contains capillary network
required to sustain the hair
follicles
 Hair Follicle
Structure
• The keratinocytes continuous
with those of the basal
epidermis cover the dermal
papilla and form the hair matrix

• Matrix produces the actual hair

shaft as well as
the inner and outer root sheaths
 Hair Follicle
Structure
• The keratinocytes in the
matrix divide rapidly in
the region immediately
near the dermal papilla.

• They also accumulate

melanin in the process
of division
 Hairs
• Hair shaft is the superficial
portion of the skin

• Hair root- portion of the hair

deep to the hair shaft
 Hairs
• Hair shaft and root has
three portions:

– (1) Medulla – contains cells with

large amount of pigment
granules
– (2) Cortex – largest part
– (3) Cuticle – outer layer and
contains flat keratinized cells
 Hairs
• Structure that surrounds the
hair root and is formed from
invaginations of the epidermis
into the dermis
– Has two parts : External and
internal root sheath
– External (epidermal cells)
and Internal (proteins)
Glassy membrane
 Hairs
• Hair and its hair follicle is always
inclined at a certain angle to the surface
of epithelium

• Arrector pili – small bundles of smooth

muscles
– Contraction will pull the hair shaft to
more erect position = goosebumps
 Sebaceous Glands

• Appendages of the hair follicle located above the

insertion of the arrector pili muscle

• Holocrine gland

• Secretion is called sebum which coats the hair and

keeps them from drying and becoming brittle and
can also inhibit the growth of microbes
Sweat Glands/Sudoriferous glands
2 Types
• Eccrine sweat glands

– Coiled tubular glands located deep in the

dermis
– Slender duct ascends to the epidermis and
opens as a sweat pore on surface of skin
– Widely distributed throughout the integument
– Most numerous in palm and sole
 Sweat Glands
2 Types
• Apocrine sweat glands

– Found in axilla, mons pubis, circumanal region

– Larger than eccrine gland
– Located in the dermis and duct opens into the canal
of hair follicle
 Nails
• Plates of closely compacted hard keratin
on the dorsal surface of distal phalanx
• Formed by keratinization of epithelial cells
in a nail matrix
 Nails
• Parts of the nails:
– Nail body
– Nail root
– Free edge

• Nail body is the

visible portion of the
nail; appears pink
because of the
capillaries in the nail
bed
 Nails
Parts
• Nail root which is the proximal end of nail
plate covered by skin fold
• Free edge is the part of the nail that extend
pass the distal end of digit
 Nails
Parts

• Cuticle/Eponychium – epidermal stratum

corneum that extends up to the nail
• Nail bed - part of epidermis where that the
nail plate is bound to.
Nails
• Lunula -
crescent-shaped
region of the nail
body

• Hyponychium –
thickened portion
of the skin below
the free edge of
the nail