INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
Tactile (Meissner’s) corpuscles and tactile
SKIN
•The largest single organ of the body
•15 to 20 % of total body weight
•Also known as integument = ‘covering’
Composed of:
1. Epidermis: An epithelial layer of ectodermal
origin
tissue
3. Hypodermis: Layer beneath the dermis. A
loose connective tissue that may contain pads of
adipocytes.
FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN
A. Protective: Physical barrier against thermal
& mechanical insults such as frictional forces &
against most potential pathogens
•Permeability barrier against excessive loss or
uptake of water
•3 types of barriers: chemical, physical, and  PARTS OF TH E SKIN: EPIDERMIS
biological
FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN: Protective
Chemical Barriers:  1.Melanocytes
1. Skin secretions: the low pH of skin secretions
—the so-called acid mantle—retards
multiplication of bacteria.
2. Melanin: a dark pigment in epidermis that
protect the cells against UV radiation
3. Dermcidin in sweat and bactericidal
substances in sebum
4. Defensins
5. Cathelicidins: preventing infection by group
A streptococcus  & is responsible in conjunction with the
bacteria
Physical Barriers: The continuity of skin and
the hardness of its keratinized cells provide
physical barriers
Biological Barriers:
1. Dendritic cells of the epidermis
B. Sensory: Sensory receptors allow skin to
constantly monitor the environment & various
mechanoreceptors with specific locations in skin
are important for the body’s interactions with
physical objects.
•Cutaneous sensory receptors: Exteroceptors
FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN: Sensory
Examples of Exteroceptors:
1.
discs
2. Lamellar (Pacinian) corpuscles
3. Hair follicle receptors
4. Free nerve endings
C. Thermoregulatory: Constant body 
temperature is easily maintained because of the
skins insulating components & mechanisms for
accelerating heat loss.
• Insensible perspiration
• Sensible perspiration
D. Metabolic
•Skin synthesize vitamin D3, needed in calcium
metabolism & proper bone formation, through
the local action of UV light on vitamin
precursor.
•Excess electrolytes can be removed in sweat &
the subcutaneous layer stores a significant
amount of energy in the form of fat.
EPIDERMIS
(Stratified squamous keratinized epithelium)
• Keratinocytes: 
2.Langerhan’s cells
3.Merkel cells
PARTS OF EPIDERMIS:
Stratum Basale
 Single layer of basophilic columnar/
cuboidal cells on the basement
membrane
 Characterized by intense mitotic activity
initial portion of the next layer
 For constant production of epidermal
cells
 Human epidermis is renewed depending
on the age, region of the body & other
factors
Stratum Spinosum
• Thickest epidermal layer
• Consists of polyhedral or slightly flattened
cells
• Some cells may still divide above the basal
layer
• TONOFIBRIL- bundles of keratin filaments
Stratum Granulosum
• Consists of 3-5 layers of flattened polygonal
cells undergoing terminal differentiation
• Keratohyaline granules & lamellar granules
Stratum Lucidum
• Only seen in THICK skin
• Consists of a thin, translucent layer of
extremely flattened cells
• Nuclei & organelles have been lost & the
cytoplasm consists of eleidin
Stratum Corneum
• Consists of 15-20 layers of flattened, non-
nucleated keratinized cells whose cytoplasm is
filled with birefringent filamentous keratins.
CELLS IN THE EPIDERMIS:
Major:
• Keratinocytes
• Melanocytes
Minor:
Dendritic (Langerhan’s cells)
•Bone marrow- derived/blood borne cells
capable of binding,  •Extensive vascular supply
processing & presenting antigens to T
lymphocytes.
•Represent 2-8 % of epidermal cells
•Make up a major component of skins adaptive
immunity
•With BIRBECK’s GRANULES
Tactile (Merkel) cells
•Located in the basal epidermal layer
•With free-nerve endings forming a disk- like
expansion (Merkels disc)
•Function as mechanoreceptor
DERMIS
•Connective tissue that supports the epidermis &
binds it to the subcutaneous tissue.
•Associated with hair follicles, sebaceous
glands, sweat glands & blood vessels.
2 layers of DERMIS:
1. THIN PAPILLARY LAYER (outermost
layer)
• Loose connective tissue
•With dermal papillae interdigitating with
epidermal ridges
•Contains immunoprotective cells, capillary
networks & free nerve endings
•Meissener’s corpuscle (tactile): touch receptor
at the tips of dermal papillae
2. THICK RETICULAR LAYER (innermost
layer)
•Composed of irregular dense CT
•More fibers & fewer cells
•Richly vascular & aids in regulating heat loss &
blood pressure
•With free nerve endings Pacinian (Lamellated)
corpuscle.
•Flexure lines
HYPODERMIS (subcutaneous tissues)
•Often contains fat cells.
• This layer consists of areolar and adipose
tissues
• It serves as a storage depot for fat and contains
large blood vessels that supply the skin
•Consists of loose connective tissue that binds
the skin loosely to the subadjacent organs
• It contains called Pacinian (lamellated)
corpuscles
GLANDS
1. Sebaceous glands (oil gland)
•Embedded in the dermis over most of the body
surface except the thick, hairless (glabrous) skin
of the palm & soles.
•Branched acinar glands
•Lipid producing sebocytes
•Holosecretion: SEBUM= Maintain Stratum
corneum & exerting weak anti bacterial & anti
fungal properties
2. Sweat glands
•Also in the dermis
2 types: Eccrine & Apocrine
A. Eccrine 
•Most numerous on soles of feet
•Coiled
•With ducts cell that absorb NA ions (prevent
excessive loss of electrolytes)
•AUXILLARY EXCRETORY ORGAN:
Eliminating small amounts of nitrogenous waste
& excess salts
Has 3 cell types:
1. Pyramidal CLEAR cells: sweat (from
interstitial fluid)
2. Pyramidal DARK cells: mucoid & filled •Overexposure to the UV radiation in sunlight
with glycoprotein-containing granules damages DNA bases. 
3. Myoepithelial cells: Produce contractions
(discharge secretions)  Basal cell carcinoma 
•The least malignant and most common. 
B. Apocrine sweat gland •Stratum basale cells proliferate, invading the
•Confined to skin of the axillary & perineal dermis and hypodermis. 
regions •Lesions appear as shiny, dome-shaped nodules
•Development depends on sex hormone  that later develop a central ulcer with a pearly,
beaded edge 
HAIRS
•Derived from hair follicles Squamous cell carcinoma
•Thin skin • The second most common skin cancer
•Hairs, or pili, are flexible strands produced by • Arises from the keratinocytes of the stratum
hair follicles and consist largely of dead spinosum.
keratinized cells. •The lesion appears as a scaly reddened papule
•Lanugo (small, rounded elevation) that arises most often
•Terminal on the head (scalp, ears, and lowerlip), and
•Vellus  hands 

Parts of hair: Melanoma

•Hair bulb: hair follicle’s terminal dilation •Cancer of melanocytes 
•Hair papilla: located in the base of hair bulb •The most dangerous skin cancer because it is
and contains a capillary network required to highly metastatic and resistant to chemotherapy.
sustain the hair follicle •Most such cancers appear spontaneously, and
•Hair root: epidermal cells covering the hair about one-third develop from preexisting moles. 
papilla Apply the ABCDE rule for recognizing
•Hair shaft: protruding part of the hair root  melanoma: 
•Asymmetry: The two sides of the pigmented
Nails spot or mole do not match.
•Hard, flexible, plates of keratin on the dorsal •Border irregularity: The borders of the lesion
surface of each distal phalanx.  exhibit indentations.
Parts of nail •Color: The pigmented spot contains several
Nail root: proximal part of the nail/ hidden part colors (blacks, browns, tans, and sometimes
of nail blues and reds).
Cuticle: epidermal S. corneum extending from •Diameter: The spot is larger than 6 mm in
the proximal nail fold diameter (the size of a pencil eraser).
Nail bed: consists of basal and spinous layer • Elevation: above the skin surface. 
Nail plate
•Nail matrix Burns
•Hyponychium: epidermal fold at the distal end • A burn is tissue damage inflicted by intense
of the plate heat, electricity, radiation, or certain chemicals,
• Lunula: whitish, opaque, crescent shaped all of which denature cell proteins and kill cells
region on the proximal nail body  in the affected areas. 

HOMEOSTATIC  Burns can lead to:

IMBALANCES OF THE SKIN  •Dehydration
•Electrolyte imbalance,
Skin Cancers •Renal failure (kidney shutdown) 
•Pathophysiology: •Circulatory shock
•In general, burns are considered critical if any
of the following conditions exists:
•Over 25% of the body has second-degree
burns
•Over 10% of the body has third-degree burns
•There are third-degree burns of the face, hands,
or feet 
•Burns are classified according to their severity
as first-, second-, or third-degree burns

First-degree burns:
•only the epidermis is damaged.
•Symptoms: localized redness, swelling, and
pain. 
•tend to heal in two to three days without special
attention. 

Second-degree burns
•Affects epidermis and the upper region of the
dermis. 
•Symptoms mimic those of first-degree burns,
but blisters also appear. 
•The burned area is red and painful
• Skin regeneration occurs with little or no
scarring within three to four weeks if care is
taken to prevent infection. 

First and second-degree burns are referred to

as partial-thickness burns 

Third-degree burns referred as full-thickness

burns
•It involves the entire thickness of the skin 
•The burned area appears gray-white, cherry red,
or blackened, and initially there is little or no
edema. 
•Since the nerve endings have been destroyed,
the burned area is not painful