Integumentary System Anatomy Albinism

-recessive genetic trait that causes a deficiency or

Melanin
am absence of melanin
-group of pigments primarily responsible for skin,
-albinos have fair skin, white hair, and unpigmented
hair, and eye color.
irises in the eye
-most melanin are brown to black pigments.
-provides protection against UV light from sun.
Exposure to light
Exposure to ultraviolet light—for example, in
Melanocytes
sunlight—stimulates melanocytes to increase
-produce melanin
melanin production. The result is a suntan.
-irregularly shaped cells with many long processes
that extend between epithelial cells of the deep part
Hormones
of epidermis
- certain hormones, such as estrogen and
melanocyte stimulating hormone, cause an
Melanosomes
increase in melanin production during pregnancy in
-packaged melanin into vesicles by golgi apparatus
the mother, darkening the nipples, the pigmented
-it moves into the cell process of melanocytes
circular areas around the nipples, and the genitalia
even more. The cheekbones and forehead can also
*Palms, lips, sole of feet contains less melanin
darken, resulting in “the mask of pregnancy.” Also,
*Large amounts of melanins form freckles or moles,
a dark line of pigmentation can appear on the
darkened areas in the genitalia, the nipples and the
midline of the abdomen.
circular area around the nipples.
Ex.
Melanin Transfer to Epithelial Cells
>>Birthmarks are congenital (present at birth)
- melanocytes make melanin, which is packaged
disorders of the blood vessels (capillaries) in the
into melanosomes and transferred to many
dermis.
epithelial cells.
>>Blood flowing through the skin imparts a reddish
1. Melanosomes are produced by the Golgi
hue, and when blood flow increases, the red color
apparatus of the melanocyte.
intensifies. Examples include blushing and the
2. Melanosomes move into the melanocyte cell
redness resulting from the inflammatory response.
processes.
A decrease in blood flow, as occurs in shock, can
3. Epithelial cells phagocytize the tips of the
make the skin appear pale.
melanocyte cell processes.
4. The melanosomes, which were produced inside
Cyanosis a decrease in the blood O2 content
the melanocytes, have been transferred to
produces a bluish color of the skin.
epithelial cells and are now inside them.
Carotene is a yellow pigment found in plants such
Melanin production is determined by:
as squash and carrots. Humans normally ingest
-genetic factors
carotene and use it as a source of vitamin A.
-exposure to light
Carotene is lipid-soluble; when consumed, it
-hormones
accumulates in the lipids of the stratum corneum
and in the adipocytes of the dermis and
Genetic factors
subcutaneous tissue. If large amounts of carotene
- are responsible for the amounts of melanin
are consumed, the skin can become quite
produced in different races. Since all races have
yellowish.
about the same number of melanocytes, racial
variations in skin color are determined by the
*The location of pigments and other substances in
amount, kind, and distribution of melanin. Although
the skin affects the color produced. If a dark
many genes are responsible for skin color, a single
pigment is located in the dermis or subcutaneous
mutation can prevent the production of melanin.
tissue, light reflected off the dark pigment can be
scattered by collagen fibers of the dermis to
produce a blue color. The deeper within the dermis
or subcutaneous tissue any dark pigment is
located, the bluer the pigment appears because of
the light-scattering effect of the overlying tissue.
This effect causes the blue color of tattoos, bruises,
and some superficial blood vessels.
SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE (under the skin)
- Attaches the skin to underlying bone and muscle
and supplies it with blood vessels and nerves.
- Tissue, which is not part of the skin, is sometimes
called hypodermis (under the dermis).
- It is loose connective tissue, including adipose
tissue that contains about half the body’s stored
lipids.
- The subcutaneous tissue can be used to estimate
total body fat.
- The skin and subcutaneous tissue are pinched at
selected locations, and the thickness of the fold is
measured. The thicker the fold, the greater the
amount of total body fat. The percentage of body
fat varies in the population, but on average women
have higher total body fat than do males. The
acceptable percentage of body fat varies from 21%
to 30% for females and from 13% to 25% for males.
A body fat percentage above the acceptable range
is an indicator of obesity.
Adipose tissue
- In the subcutaneous tissue, adipose tissue
functions as padding and insulation, and it is
responsible for some of the differences in
appearance between men and women as well as
between individuals of the same sex.
- The amount and location of adipose tissue vary
with age, sex, and diet.
ACCESSORY SKIN STRUCTURE
- The accessory skin structures are hair, glands,
and nails.
HAIR - found everywhere on the skin, except on
the palms, the soles, the lips, the nipples, parts of
the genitalia, and the distal segments of the fingers
and toes.
Hair follicle - an invagination of the epidermis that
extends deep into the dermis.
Hair Shaft - above the surface of the skin.
Hair root - below the skin surface.
Hair bulb - base of the root.
A hair has a hard cortex, which surrounds a softer
center, the medulla (me-dool′ă). The cortex is
covered by the cuticle (kū′ti-kl; skin), a single layer
of overlapping cells that holds the hair in the hair
follicle.
Arrector pili
- smooth muscle cells associated with hair follicle.
- contraction of the arrector pili causes the hair to
become more perpendicular to the skin’s surface,
or to “stand on end,” and it produces a raised area
of skin called a “goose bump.”
Hair papilla - is an extension of the dermis that
protrudes into the hair bulb.
*Blood vessels within the papilla supply the hair
bulb with the nourishment needed to produce the
hair. Hair is produced in cycles. During the growth
stage, it is formed by epithelial cells within the hair
bulb. These cells, like the cells of the stratum
basale in the skin, divide and undergo
keratinization. The hair grows longer as these cells
are added to the base of the hair within the hair
bulb. Thus, the hair root and shaft consist of
columns of dead keratinized epithelial cells. During
the resting stage, growth stops and the hair is held
in the hair follicle. When the next growth stage
begins, a new hair is formed and the old hair falls
out. The duration of each stage depends on the
individual hair. Eyelashes grow for about 30 days
and rest for 105 days, whereas scalp hairs grow for
3 years and rest for 1–2 years. The loss of hair
normally means that the hair is being replaced
because the old hair falls out of the hair follicle
when the new hair begins to grow. In some men,
however, a permanent loss of hair results in
“pattern baldness.” Although many of the hair
follicles are lost, some remain and produce a very
short, transparent hair, which for practical purposes
is invisible. These changes occur when male sex
hormones act on the hair follicles of men who have
the genetic predisposition for pattern baldness. Hair
color is determined by varying amounts and types
of melanin. The production and distribution of
melanin by melanocytes occurs in the hair bulb by
the same method as in the skin. With age, the
amount of melanin in hair can decrease, causing
the hair color to become faded, or the hair can
contain no melanin and be white. Gray hair is
usually a mixture of unfaded, faded, and white
hairs.
GLANDS
Major glands of the skin are the sebaceous glands
and the sweat glands (sudoriferous).
Sebaceous glands
-are simple, branched acinar glands.
-most are connected by a duct to the superficial
part of a hair follicle.
-they produce sebum, an oily, white substance rich
in lipids. The sebum is released by holocrine
secretion and lubricates the hair and the surface of
the skin, which prevents drying and protects
against some bacteria.
Two kinds of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine
Eccrine sweat glands
-simple, coiled, tubular glands and release sweat
by merocrine secretion.
-located in almost every part of the skin but most
numerous in the palms and soles.
-they produce a secretion that is mostly water with
a few salts.
-have ducts that open onto the surface of the skin
through sweat pores. When the body temperature
starts to rise above normal levels, the sweat glands
produce sweat, which evaporates and cools the
body. Sweat can also be released in the palms,
soles, armpits, and other places because of
emotional stress.
Apocrine sweat glands
-Simple, coiled, tubular glands that produce a thick
secretion rich in organic substances.
-These substances are released primarily by
merocrine secretion, though some glands
demonstrate holocrine secretion. They open into
hair follicles, but only in the armpits and genitalia.
Apocrine sweat glands become active at puberty
because of the influence of sex hormones. The
organic secretion, which is essentially odorless
when released, is quickly broken down by bacteria
into substances responsible for what is commonly
known as body odor.
NAIL - A thin plate, consisting of layers of dead
stratum corneum cells that contain a very hard type
of keratin.
Nail body - visible part of nail
Nail root - part of the nail covered by skin
Cuticle(eponychium) - part of the nail covered by
skin
Nail matrix - nail root extends distally from the nail
matrix.
- the area where your fingernails and
toenails start to grow.
Nail bed - located distal to the nail matrix
- nail is attached to the underlying nail bed
Lunula - a small part of the nail matrix can be seen
through the nail body as a whitish, crescent-shaped
area at the base of the nail.
*Nail matrix and bed are epithelial tissue with a
stratum basale that gives rise to the cells that form
the nail.
*The nail matrix is thicker than the nail bed and
produces most of the nail.
*Cell production within the nail matrix causes the
nail to grow. Unlike hair, nails grow continuously
and do not have a resting stage.
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM AS A DIAGNOSTIC
AID
The integumentary system is useful in diagnosis
because it is observed easily and often reflects
events occurring in other parts of the body. For
example, cyanosis, a bluish color to the skin
caused by decreased blood O2 content, is an
indication of impaired circulatory or respiratory
function. A yellowish skin color, called jaundice
(jawn′dis), can occur when the liver is damaged by
a disease, such as viral hepatitis. Normally, the
liver secretes bile pigments, which are products of
the breakdown of worn-out red blood cells, into the
intestine. Bile pigments are yellow, and their
buildup in the blood and tissues can indicate
impaired liver function. Rashes and lesions in the
skin can be symptoms of problems elsewhere in
the body. For example, scarlet fever results when
bacteria infecting the throat release a toxin into the
blood that causes a reddish rash on the skin. The
development of a rash can also indicate an allergic
reaction to foods or to drugs, such as penicillin. The
condition of the skin, hair, and nails is affected by
nutritional status. In vitamin A deficiency, the skin
produces excess keratin and assumes a
characteristic sandpaper texture, whereas in iron-
deficiency anemia the nails lose their normal
contour and become flat or concave (spoon-
shaped). Hair concentrates many substances that
can be detected by laboratory analysis, and
comparison of a patient’s hair with a “normal” hair
can be useful in certain diagnoses. For example,
lead poisoning results in high levels of lead in the
hair. However, the use of hair analysis to determine
the general health or nutritional status of an
individual is unreliable.
 Cutaneous Membrane - technical term for skin
 Skin- largest body organ; made up of water,
protein, fats and minerals
 12-16% person’s total body weight
 2mm thick covering the external surface
 28 days - skin regenerates
 1 inch of skin has approximately 19 million
skin cells and 60,000 melanocytes; also
contains 1,000 nerve endings and 20 blood
vessels
 Palm and sole skin - thickest (1.5mm)
 Eyelid skin - thinnest (1mm)
 Epidermis - stratified squamous epithelium;
most superficial layer; prevents water loss and
resists abrasion
 Keratinization - cells become filled with protein
keratin which makes them more rigid and
durable
 Strata - layers
 Stratum basale - deepest; consists of cuboidal
or columnar cells that undergo mitotic divisions
about every 19 days
 Stratum corneum - superficial; consists of dead
squamous cells filled with keratin
 Callus - produced due to increased number of
stratum corneum layers subjected to friction
 Dermis - dense collagenous connective tissue
containing fibroblasts, adipocytes, and
macrophages
 Fibroblast - secrete collagen protein; common
type of cell found in connective tissue
 Adipocytes - storage of energy in skin
 Macrophages - white blood cells; ingest
infectious bacteria
 Cleavage lines/tension lines - resistant to
stretch along these lines; produced when more
collagen fibers are oriented in some directions
than in others. (cutting parallel with the
cleavage lines heal wound faster and prevent
further scarring)
 Dermal Papillae - supply nutrients, removes
waste and helps regulate body temperature
 Stretch mark - are induced when the skin is
damage due to overstretching
 Injections in skin
-intradermal injection (taut)
-subcutaneous injection (pinch; adipose tissue )
-intramuscular injection (90 degree insertion;
subcutaneous; vaccines)
 Subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis) - attach skin
to underlying bone and muscles; adipose
tissues (loose connective tissue)
 Adipose tissue - contains half of body lipids; for
padding and insulation; located in hypodermis
 Sebaceous gland - small sac shape gland; in
the midst dermis; develop beside hair follicle;
causes acne
 Arrector pili - smooth muscle; responsible for
having goose bumps
 Melanin - brown to black pigment; provides
protection against ultraviolet light
 Melanocytes - synthesize melanin pigments;
found in deepest part of epidermis; spider-
shaped
 Melanosomes - stored melanin; vesicles that
move melanin package.
 Skin accessories / Skin Appendages - other
parts that are included in integumentary system
Components: hair, nail, sweat glands
 Cutaneous gland  - Any of the glands of the
skin
 exocrine gland: 
 oil gland (sebaceous): small oil-producing gland
present in the skin of mammals that are usually
attached to hair follicles and release a fatty
substance, sebum, into the follicular duct and
thence to the surface of the skin.
 ceruminous gland - connected to ear
 mammary gland: responsible in milk production
or lactation
 Hair - produced by hair follicle; made of hard
keratinized epithelial cell
 Nail - made of keratin
 Cyanosis - indication of impaired circulatory or
respiratory function
 Jaundice - yellowish skin discoloration; can
occur when liver is damaged
 Rashes - an area of irritated or swollen skin
usually itchy, red, painful and irritated
 Burns - being damaged by heat, cold, friction
and electricity
→ First degree - involve only on epidermis; red
and painful; slight edema may be present;
sunburn; heal without scarring
→ Second degree - damage both epidermis and
dermis; minimal dermal damage; redness, pain,
edema and blisters; wound appears red, tan or
white
→ Third degree - epidermis and dermis are
completely destroyed; usually painless; appear
white, tan, brown, black or deep cherry red; no
set timeline for this type of burns to heal
 Rule of nines burn - method of assessment for
medical provider to estimate the extent of a
person’s injury
Head = 9%
Front: 4.5 Back: 4.5
Chest = 18%
Front: 9 Back: 9
Arm = 18%
Front: 4.5 each Back: 4.5 each
Abdomen = 18%
Front: 9 Back: 9
Genital area = 1%
Leg= 36%
Front: 9 each Back: 9 each
Complications of Burn
 Bacterial infection (sepsis severe infection; 53%
burn patient die in sepsis)
 Hypovolemia (fluid loss in a body part; blisters)
 Hypothermia (abnormal flow of temperature in
our body)
 Keloids (type of scars; grow larger; appears
after burn is healed)
 Contractures (melting and sticking of skin with
each other; prevent movement of body; occur
when burn is completely healed)
 Skin Cancer - most common type of cancer
often associated with exposure to UV light from
sun
 Cancer - abnormal cell mass
 Virulent – means extremely severe
 Predisposing factor - a risk factor (fair-skinned
and older than 50yrs old)
Classified in two ways:
 Benign- does not spread
 Malignant - metastasized (moves) to other body
parts
SKIN CANCER TYPES
 Basal cell carcinoma - least malignant; most
common type; arises from stratum basale;
begins with cells in stratum basale and extend
to dermis
 Melanoma - fast spread of cancer
 Squamous cell carcinoma - metastasized lymph
nodes if not removed; believed to be sun
induced; superficial to stratum basale
 Malignant Melanoma - cancer of melanocytes;
most deadly of skin cancer; spread to lymp and
blood vessels; rare form of skin cancer that
arises from melanocytes
 ABCD RULE
→ asymmetry (moles side do not match
→ border (moles are not smooth)
→ color
→ diameter
 Skin cancer not sunlight induced: smoking
tobacco; HPV (human papillomavirus)
 Skin disorders - condition that affect the skin;
can be hereditary or cause by lifestyle factors;
rashes, itchiness, inflammation
Temporary Skin disorders
 Acne - common skin condition where the pores
of your skin become blocked by your hair,
sebum, bacteria and dead skin cell.
 Causes: hormonal imbalances, touching, air
condition, using oily beauty products, stress.
Medication: applying topical gels or liquids
(benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, azelaic acid,
retinoids), injection of steroid, laser, 
 Blister - bubbles that pop up when fluid collects
in pockets under the top layer of skin.
Causes: friction of skin in specific object; cold
and heat, chicken pox.
Medication: keep it clean and dry; don’t pop it
 Warts - caused by the human papillomavirus
(HPV); infection causes rough, skin-colored
bumps form on the skin (dome shape or flat)
Common warts
→ Plantar warts- seen on feet
→ Flat warts - face
→ Genital warts - private parts
Medication: home remedies, freezing
(cryotherapy), laser treatment, topical
medicines

Permanent Skin Disorder -hereditary or from

trauma or accidents
→ Psoriasis- causes red, itchy scaly patches, most
commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and
scalp; common chronic disease with no cure;
Types of Psoriasis:
-Scalp
-Plaque(knee, elbows, scalp)
-Postular (feet, rare type; wide spread)
-Erythrodermic (covers entire body)
-Inverse (skin folds, buttocks, groin; smooth patch)
-Guttate (manifest in young adult; droplets and
scattered in body; triggered by bacterial infection)
→ Rosacea - causes blushing or flushing and
visible blood vessels in your face; produce
small, pus-filled bumps
Symptoms: facial blushing; visible veins; swollen
bumps; burning sensations, enlarged nose
→ Vitiligo - long-term condition where pale
patches develop on the skin; caused by lack of
melanin; malfunction of melanocytes; can be
smooth or irregular in shape; prone to sunburn;
Types:
Non-segmental – generalized vitiligo; identical;
common type
Segmental - unilateral; irregular appearance; one
area