The Integumentary System: Definition

Lecture (2( FACULTY OF NURSING Dr.
Mariam Ali
The integumentary system
Definition: It is the outer covering of the body surface.

- The skin is one of the largest organs of the body.
- It is thick is some places (Palm of the hand, sole of the feet ) and thin in other places (Eye-lids).
- It is hairy in some places (scalp) and non-hairy in other places (Lips, palm of the hand and sole
of the feet)
The integumentary system consists of:
I. Skin
II. Skin appendages
1) Hair
2) Nails
3) Glands:
 Sweat glands
 Sebaceous glands
I. The Skin
The skin is formed of two layers:
1. An outer thin layer (Epidermis)

2. An inner thick layer (Dermis)
Under the dermis is a layer, called the Hypodermis
Hypodermis
- Is made of subcutaneous fat.
- Deep to skin (not technically part of skin) Mostly adipose tissue
- Attaches skin to underlying tissues and organs.
1. The Epidermis
- An outer thin layer
- Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium tissue.
- Avascular (devoid of blood vessels).
Layers of the Epidermis:
• Stratum corneum
• Stratum Lucidum
• Stratum Granulosum
• Stratum Spinosum
• Stratum Basal
1
Lecture (2( FACULTY OF NURSING Dr. Mariam Ali
Stratum corneum
- Most superficial
- Highly keratinized
- Constantly shed
Stratum Basle
- Deepest
- Produced new epithelial cells
Cells of the Epidermis:

• Keratinocytes
- They make the protein keratin (a tough, protective protein).
- The most numerous cell type: about 90% of the epidermal cells
• Langerhans cells
- Immune cells located in the epidermis
• Melanocytes
- About 8% of the epidermal cells.
- Make the protein pigment melanin.
- Is a brown pigment
- contributes to skin color
Freckles and moles are seen where melanin is concentrated in one spot.
2. The dermis
• The dermis is connective tissue.
• It is located beneath the epidermis.
• It is thicker than epidermis.
• Vascular (it contains blood vessels)
• It is contains the:
- hair follicles with erector pili muscles.
- sweat gland
- sebaceous gland
- nerves and nerve endings
- blood and lymphatic vessels
- elastic and collagen fibers (composed mainly of collagen fibers)
2
II. The Skin appendages include sebaceous glands, sweat glands, hair and nails.
The sebaceous glands

- The sebaceous glands (oil glands) are found all over the body except in palms of the hand and
soles of the feet, and associated with hair follicles
- They are exocrine produce sebum.
The black head spots are accumulation of dried sebum and bacteria in the glands and ducts.
Acne is caused by infection of sebaceous glands.

Black head spot
Acne
Decubitus ulcer (bed sores) occur in bed redden patients who are need turned regularly.
3
The sweat glands
- Widely distributed in skin

- Two types
1- Eccrine sweat glands
Open via duct to pore on skin surface.
2- Apocrine sweat glands
Ducts empty into hair follicles.
- Composition
• Mostly water and some metabolic waste
• Fatty acids and proteins (apocrine only)
- Function
• Helps dissipate excess heat
• Excretes waste products
• Acidic nature inhibits bacteria growth
• Odor is from associated bacteria
Hair
- Produced by hair bulb
- Consists of hard keratinized epithelial cells
- Melanocytes provide pigment for hair color
- Hair Anatomy
• Central medulla follicle
• Cortex surrounds medulla Shaft
• Cuticle on outside of cortex
• Most heavily keratinized Root
- Associated Hair Structures
• Hair follicle
• Dermal and epidermal sheath surround hair root
• Arrector pilli Smooth muscle
• Sebaceous gland
• Sweat gland
4
Nails Cover distal end of fingers and toes
- Composed of keratin
- Heavily keratinized
- Grow from proximal end
- Lack of pigment makes them colorless
- Structure
• Free edge
• Root of nail
• Nail bed
• Plate
• Lunula
5
Cleavage lines
The bundles of collagen fibers, arranged in parallel rows in dermis, called:
Lines of cleavage (langer’s lines).

- The direction of the rows of collagen fibers in the dermis:
• Longitudinally
in the limbs.
• Circumferentially (Horizontal)
in the neck and the trunk.
These lines are important to determine the direction for cut during a surgery to
avoid obvious scars.
Flexure lines
Flexure lines of the hand (skin creases) it is sites of the Skin firmly attached to underlying
structures.
6
The skin color

Some variations in human skin color due to Melanin and a Carotene pigment in the epidermis.
Melanin is synthesized in cells called Melanocytes (found in basal layer). Number of

Melanocytes is essentially the same in all races.
The differences in skin color is due to the amount of pigment the melanocytes produce.
Normal skin color determinants

Melanin
- Yellow, brown, or black pigments
Carotene
- Orange-yellow pigment from some vegetables
Hemoglobin
- Red coloring from blood cells in dermis capillaries
Oxygen
content determines the extent of red coloring.
Functions of the skin
1-Protect the dipper tissues from

a. Mechanical damage (bumps)
b. Chemical damage (Acids & Basses)
c. Bacterial damage
d. Ultraviolet radiation damaging effects of sunlight
e. Terminal (heat & cold) (sweat gland)
f. Desiccation (drying out)
2-Aids in body heat less or heat retention (controlled by nervous system)
3- Aids in excretion of urea & uric acid
4- Synthesis vitamin D
-

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Lecture (2( FACULTY OF NURSING Dr.

The integumentary system

Definition: It is the outer covering of the body surface.

The skin is formed of two layers:

1. An outer thin layer (Epidermis)

Under the dermis is a layer, called the Hypodermis

Layers of the Epidermis:

Cells of the Epidermis:

The sebaceous glands

Acne is caused by infection of sebaceous glands.

The sweat glands

- Widely distributed in skin

Nails Cover distal end of fingers and toes

Lines of cleavage (langer’s lines).

The skin color

Melanin is synthesized in cells called Melanocytes (found in basal layer). Number of

Normal skin color determinants

Functions of the skin

1-Protect the dipper tissues from

2-Aids in body heat less or heat retention (controlled by nervous system)

3- Aids in excretion of urea & uric acid

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