The Integumentary

System
By: Alexander Papazov
 Purpose
• Your skin is your first line of defense
• It helps with homeostasis, a process in which the body keeps things at a
constant
• The skin synthesizes vitamin D for your own personal use
• The integumentary system also helps with sensing the world around you
 The Layers of the
Integumentary System

There are three main layers of skin,

the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The
epidermis is the only visible layer, and is
made from stratified squamous cells. The
dermis is when all the action happens,
homeostasis, sweating, the sense of touch,
and much more. The hypodermis is basically
a seam of fat below the dermis.
 The Epidermis
•This layer contains four cells that help it
function. It itself has two types of skin.
Thick and thin skin. Thick skin contains
five layers, as thin skin contains one less.
 Keratinocytes
• Keratinocytes are the building blocks
of the fibrous protein keratin, which is
found in many aspects of the
integumentary system. This cell is part of
four epidermal cells. This cell gives
structure and is water proof so water can
not get inside the skin. This cell makes hair,
nails, and the outermost layer of skin.
These cells are constantly being replaced,
and they completely replace the epidermis
every four to six weeks.
 Melanocytes
•This cell is also part of the quartet of
epidermal cells. This cell synthesizes
melanin. Melanin is what gives your skin its
color. However, if there are more of these
cells, that does not affect your skin color.
These cells have cellular extensions which
determine how much melanin is in each
cell. The amount in melanin however,
determines the skin color.
 Langerhans Cells
•The epidermis is your first line of defense,
so it should not be surprising that there are
immune system cells in the skin as well.
This cell also has cellular extensions, but its
cell extensions go in between other cells, so
they catch unwanted invaders. Like many
other immune system cells, this cell
originated in the bone marrow.
 Merkel Cells
•These cells are found in the lowest layer of
the epidermis, the stratum basale. At that
layer, they combine with nerve endings,
making a receptor for touch.
 Stratum Corneum
•This is the outermost layer off the
epidermis. The stratum corneum is made
up of twenty to thirty sheets of dead skin.
This is the layer your are constantly losing
and becoming dust.
 Stratum Lucidum
•This layer is found in your thick skin, your
thick skin is found on the palms of your
hands, and the soles of your feet. This layer
holds two to three rows of clear flat dead
keratinocytes.
 Stratum Granulosum
•This layer holds living keratinocytes. This
layer looks grainy when dehydrated, because
those cells are in the middle of being
compressed and flattened.
 Stratum Spinosum
•The cells in this layer contain filaments
that keep them together. This layer is even
closer to where mitosis is happening, the
stratum basale layer.
 Stratum Basale
•This is the thinnest layer. It rests on
papillae poking up from the dermis below
these cells. This is a layer of simple
columnar epithelial cells. Mitosis is active in
this layer. This layer attaches the epidermis
to the dermis.
 The Dermis
•The dermis may be divided up into three
layers, the papillary layer, the reticular layer,
and the hypodermis. You might count the
hypodermis separately, and leave the dermis
with two layers. In these layers, most of the
skin’s jobs are fulfilled.
 Papillary Layer
•This layer is composed of thin sheets of
areolar connective tissue. This tissue is
riddled with peg-like projections, which are
called dermal papillae. These papillae are
actually quite interesting, because they form
friction ridges. Friction ridges press up, and
in your thick skin they form your
fingerprints.
 Reticular Layer
•This layer makes up eighty percent of your
dermal layer. This layer is made up of dense
irregular connective tissue. This layer
contains nerves and blood vessels. It also
contains oil glands and sensory receptors.
 Hypodermis
•This layer is basically a seam of fat. It
provides insulation, energy storage, shock
absorption, and anchors the skin.
 Skin
Appendages
•The integumentary system also
contains skin appendages such as hair,
sweat glands, oil glands, and nails.
 Hair Follicles
•There are two main parts of a hair
follicle. The shaft and the root. The
shaft has finished keratinization, and is
the visible part. The root has
keratinization still in progress.
 Sebaceous
Glands
•Sebaceous glands are part of the three
types of oil glands. These glands are
found everywhere along the body, and
they are attached to hair follicles. The
sebum they emit goes up the hair and
gets to the surface of the skin.
Eccrine Glands
•Eccrine sweat glands are found on the
soles of your feet, your palms, and
around your forehead.
 Apocrine glands
• There are only two thousand of these in your body.
• They start out at around puberty.
• They are found in your armpits and groin.
• The sweat from these glands contain fats and proteins.
• The sweat is also a bit yellow in color.
 Nails
•Your hair and nails grow exactly like
your skin. The youngest cells multiply
pushing older cells towards the surface.
As this happens, the cells die and they
get farther away from the blood supply.
They rely on blood from blood vessels,
because the epithelial tissue in the
integumentary system is a vascular, or
does not have a source of blood.
 Tactile
Corpuscles
•One type out of two types of
corpuscles. This nerve can feel a scratch
or friction across the skin.
 Lamellar
Corpuscles
•This other type of corpuscle is made
for sensing pressure. However, this
corpuscle has a similar function. If you
are not feeling pain, and you feel the
pressure without thinking about it, it
goes away in a couple minutes. That is
why you do not feel your clothes against
your skin all the time.
 Skin Discoloration
• The skin can sometimes show if something is wrong with the body. It might
even turn a different color. However, because of the wide spectrum of skin
colors, it sometimes is easier to be identified by the color of mucus
membranes, or the bed of a nail.
 Cyanosis
•Cyanosis, or blue skin, may
indicate heart failure, poor
circulation, or severe
respiratory issues. The blood
is not actually blue, it is more
of a maroon color in this
case. However, because of all
the tissues blocking your view
of the actual blood, it looks
like you are blue.
 Jaundice
•Yellow skin, jaundice, may
indicate a liver disorder. The
reason behind this, is yellow
biles are floating around in
your blood, coloring the skin
yellow.
 Erythema
•Erythema, or red skin,
indicates fever, inflammation,
or an allergy. All of these
things cause the dermal
vessels to expand. Since the
blood is closer than normal
to the surface, it makes the
skin look red.
 Sun Radiation
•The ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can
result in a sun burn. That may not seem
horrible, but it does depress your
langerhans (immune system) cells. That
makes it much easier for diseases to creep
past the skin. Another negative effect from
sunlight, is skin cancer. The ultraviolet rays
can change the genetics inside your skin
cells. A change in genetics, or a failed cell
mitosis, results in cancer.
 Homeostasis
• Homeostasis is a process your body goes through to keep things relatively
constant. The integumentary takes part in that process. Firstly, the
integumentary system perspires to keep the body cool. Another way the
integumentary contributes, is through its dermal blood vessels. At any given
time, your dermal vessels hold five percent of your blood volume. When
your require more blood, such as when your run, they squeeze and release
the blood into the body. Your body does the same if you are cold, in order to
keep your organs warm.
 Sources
• https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Orumw-PyNjw#fauxfullscreen
• https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EN-x-zXXVwQ#fauxfullscreen
Thank you for Watching!