Integumentary System III Pilosebaceous

Apparatus
Appendages of the Skin
Hairs, Hair Follicles and Sebaceous Glands make up the Pilosebaceous
Apparatus. Nails and Sweat Glands are also Appendages of the Skin.
Hair Follicles are downgrowths of the epidermis. The layers that line the hair follicle
are thus the same layers of the epidermis.
Histology of the Hair Follicle
Outermose layer is the connective tissue root sheath, then the external root
sheath, then internal root sheath, which together make up the epithelial root
sheath. The hair papilla is part of the connective tissue root sheath that projects into
the hair bulb.
The IRS is composed of three layers, much like live epidermis cells in the skin. The
three layers are Henles Layer, Huxleys Layer and an endothelial layer called the
hair cuticle.
Keratinisation occurs in the area between the hair bulb and the sebaceous glands.
The External Root Sheath contains epidermal layers of the stratum basale and
stratum spinosum, which is surrounded by a thick basement membrane called the
glassy membrane.
All the layers of the hair follicle are futher surrounded by the Fibrocollagenous
follicle sheath (FFS). Attached to the FFS is the arrector pili muscle, a smooth
muscle that causes the hair to stand on end and goosebumps to occur. It is attached
to the FFS just below the Sebaceous Glands. The upper attachment of the muscle is
at the papillary dermis.
Histology of the Hair Bulb
The Hair Papilla projection is connective tissue and is rich in nerves, blood vessels
and mesenchymal stem cells. Lots of these actively dividing stem cells produce the
hair shaft as well as the Internal Root Sheath (IRS).
Histology of the Nail
Nails are made in the Nail Matrix Epithelium in the proximal nail fold. The proximal
nail fold is covered by eponychium, which extends slightly onto the nail plate, this
visible part is called the cuticle of the nail. The nail bed forms the ventral surface of
the nail plate. The nail plate sits upon the nail bed, made up of interdigitating
corneocytes and an ECM that is high in protein, calcium and sulfur content. The
hyponychium is the meeting of nail with fingertip. The Onychodermal band is the
white dead part of nail.
Histology of the Skin Glands
Sebeceous Glands are sac like simple branched acinar glands that secrete sebum
by holocrine secretion (as lipids cannot be secreted by merocrine). They open onto
the skin surface via the hair follicle, and the secretion is regulated by the autonomic
nervous system. Sebum serves as an important lubricant for the epidermis.
Eccrine Sweat Glands are simple coiled tubular glands that open onto the surface
via a duct (NOT by hair follicle). They secrete via merocrine secretion a mixture of
secretory and excretory products. Sweating can be either for thermoregulatory
(choligenic) or emotional (adrenergic) reasons and is again controlled by the
Autonomic Nervous System. Macroscopally appear as coiled tubes in the dermis,
histologically are bundles of stratified cuboidal epithelial ducts. Under H&E the ducts
appear with a thin eosinophilic contractile myoepithelium, then Basal Clear Cells
that produce watery secretion, then Apical Dark Cells which produce proteinaceous
secretion, then the lumen of the duct. Dark Cells secrete directly into the lumen,
whereas the Clear Cells secrete into intercellular spaces between the apical dark cells.
Apocrine Sweat Glands are also simple coiled tubular glands but with wide secretory
lumen. They are the only sweat glands that secree via the hair follicle. The
secretory portion of the gland lies deep in the dermis, where the product is stored for
some time. As the secretion is stored and is quite viscous it is easily secondarily
infected by bacteria, creating body odour. The glands are heavily concentrated in
the axillary and anogenital regions. Apocrine Sweat Glands are only for emotional
sweating, not thermoregulatory. Modified ASGs include the ceruminous glands (ear
wax) and the mammary glands (breast milk).
Summary of Functions of the Integumentary System
Protection
Many Layers
Keratinisation
Cell Junctions
Lipidslamellar
Sebum
Acidic Sweat
Melanin (UV)
Langerhans Cells
Macrophages
Dermal Papillae
Hairs and Glands
Cutaneous Sensation
Free Nerve Endings
Thermoregulation
Sweating
Alteration of Blood Suply
Goosebumps
Excretion and Absorbtion
Absorbtion of Vitamins
Transdermal Drugs
Excretion of Salt, CO2, NH4, Urea etc.
Excretion of Water
Blood Reservoir
Can move blood to centre - decrease heat loss
Or to go to brain and other vital organs
Vitamin D Synthesis
Formation of Calcitrol (Active Vitamin D)
Necessary for Uptake of Calcium
Merkel Cells
Messeiners Corpuscles
Pacinian Corpuscles