By Sydney Sieger

INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

• Protects internal living tissues and organs• Protects against invasion of infectious organisms • Protects body from dehydration• Protects body against sudden changes in temperature• Helps get rid of waste materials• Receptor for touch, pressure, pain, heat and cold• Stores water and fat

FUNCTIONS OF THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

Skin and other parts of the integumentary system work hand in hand with other systems

in the body to maintain and support cells, tissues and organs needs to function properly.

HOW IT WORKS

The first defense mechanism in the immune system, is the skin. Immune cells live within the skin and

provide a defense against infections. Glands within the skin hold oils that increase a barrier function

action of the skin.

FIRST DEFENSE

The integumentary system works with the digestive system; encouraging the uptake of calcium. Then it enters the

bloodstream through capillary chains in the skin.

How healthy the skin functions is related to the digestive system because digestion of fats and oils are crucial for the

body to make protective oils for the skin and hair.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

The integumentary system also works with the circulatory system and surface capillaries through the body because,

certain substances enter the bloodstream through capillary chains in the skin; therefore patches can be used to deliver

“medications” for certain circumstances.

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

The integumentary system doesn’t only work with other systems in the body, it also works hand in hand with psychological processes. Especially

those contributed in regulating the bodies internal environment in order for the body to

maintain a stable condition.

INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM – PSYCHOLOGICAL

Skin is very important because it helps regulate the bodies temperature. It does this through the brain; if the body gets too hot or cold, the brain sends nerve impulses to the skin and has three different ways to increase or decrease the bodies temperature:

1. Hairs on the skin trap more warmth by standing up and less if they lie flat

2. Glands under the skin produce sweat in order to increase heat loss by evaporation if the body gets too hot

3. Capillaries can open when the body needs to cool off and close when the body needs to save heat

SKIN

SKIN

• Skin is the largest organ of the body with a surface areas of about 22 square feet and 8 pounds. One of its main layers is the epidermis; outer layer. The epidermis contains four cell types:

1. Keratinocytes: produces keratin – protein that gives skin strength and flexibility and waterproofs the skin surface

2. Melanocytes: produces melanin – dark pigment that gives the skin its color

3. Merkel’s cell – touch reception

4. Langerhans's cell – helps immune system by processing antigens

SKIN: EPIDERMIS

The deepest layer of the epidermis would be the stratum basale. The stratum basale is a single layer of cells resting on a layer between the dermis and the epidermis. The cells

in the stratum basale divide constantly. As new cells are produced, old ones are pushed to the skins surface. Only

the deepest ells of the stratum basale receive nourishment, the cells that are pushed out from this layer die.

EPIDERMIS – STRATUM BASALE

The stratum spinosum is another layer in the epidermis. It is made up of spiny prickle cells that interlock to support the skin. The stratum spinosum is a thin middle later and produces keratin, which starts the process of the death of

epithelial cells.

EPIDERMIS – STRATUM SPINOSUM

The epidermal layer; stratum lucidum, protects the body from ultraviolet-ray damage. The stratum lucidum layer is a thick layer which only appears on the palms or soles of

feet.

EPIDERMIS – STRATUM LUCIDUM

The epidermal layer; stratum corneum, is the outermost layer of the epidermis and is made up of rows of dead skin. The cells within the stratum corneum consist of soft keratin which keeps the skin elastic and protects other cells from

drying out.

EPIDERMIS – STRATUM CORNEUM

The dermis is the second layer of skin beneath the epidermis layer. The dermis layer is referred to as the “true skin.” The dermis layer is made up of collagen, reticular fibers and elastic fibers. The dermis layer

itself is made up of two layer; the papillary layer and the reticular layer.

SKIN: DERMIS

The papillary layer of the dermis has loose connective tissue and is found beneath the epidermis layer and

connects to it through finger-like structures (papillae). Some of the papillae contain capillaries which bring

nutrients to the epidermis, while others contain sensory touch receptors.

DERMIS: PAPILLARY LAYER

The reticular layer of the dermis is made up of dense connective tissue. It contains crisscrossed collagen fibers that work to form a strong elastic “network.”

The reticular layer also contains sensory receptors for deep pressure, sweat glands, lymph vessels, smooth

muscle and hair follicles.

DERMIS: RETICULAR LAYER

Baily, R. (2012). Integumentary system. Retrieved from

http://biology.about.com/od/organsystems/ss/integumentary_syste

m/htm.

Farabee, M. (2010, May 18). Integumentary system. Retrieved from http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobookinteg usys.html

Sciencelinks. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sciencenetlinks.com/student-teacher

-sheets/integumentary-system/

Skin. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science

/health-and-human-body/human-body/skin-article.html

Unknown E. (2012). A.d.a.m. Retrieved from http://owh.adam.com/pages/

guide/reftext/html/skin_sys_fin.html.

BIBLIOGRAPHY