CH 5: Intergymentary System Flashcards
intergumentary system
- skin
- hair
- oil and sweat glands
- nails
- sensory receptors
skin
- aka cutaneous membrane
- largest organ in the body
- about 22 feet squared (2 metre squared)
- 1-2mm thick on average
- weighs about 10lbs (4.5kg)
organ
two or more tissues that work together (epithelial, connective, muscular, nervous)
skin - functions
- thermoregulation
- blood reservoir
- protection
- cutaneous sensations
- synthesis of vitamin D
- excretion and absorption
thermoregulation
- homeostatic regulation of body
- lowering body temperature
- perspiration: heat released with sweat evaporation
- vasodilation: increase in blood flow in dermis
more blood in dermis –> more heat loss –> cooling effect
- raising internal body temperature
- vasoconstriction of surface vessels
- decreased sweat production
- contraction of skeletal muscles
perspiration
- heat released with sweat production
- means of thermoregulation - lowering body temperature
vasodilation
- increases blood flow in the dermis: more blood in dermis –> more heat loss –> cooling effect
- means of thermoregulation - lowering body temperature
lowering body temperature
- means of thermoregulation
- perspiration: heat released with sweat evaporation
- vasodilation: increase in blood flow in dermis
more blood in dermis –> more heat loss –> cooling effect
raising internal body temperatures
- means of thermodynamics
- vasoconstriction of surface vessels
- decreased sweat production
- contraction of skeletal muscles
blood reservoir
- due to large number of blood vessels in the dermis, the skin acts as a blood reservoir
- carries 8-10% of tot blood in a resting adult
factors providing protection to the skin - list
- keratin
- lipids
- sebum
- acidic pH (pH 5.5)
- melanin pigment
- two types of macrophages that help fight pathogens: Langerhan cells and dermal macrophages
factors providing protection to the skin
- keratin
- protects underlying tissues from microbes, heat, abrasion, chemicals
- lipids
- slow evaporation and prevent dehydration
- restricts entry of water and other chemicals
- sebum
- prevents skin and hair from drying out
- contains bactericidal chemicals
- acidic pH (pH 5.5)
- prevents growth of some microbes
- melanin pigment
- shields against damaging rays of UV light
- two types of macrophages that help fight pathogens:
- Langerhan cells: intraepidermal macrophages that alert the immune system - they are dendritic cells
- dermal macrophages: engul microbes that have invaded past the epidermis
keratin
protects underlying tissues from microbes, heat, abrasion and chemicals
lipids
- slow evaporation and prevent dehydration
- restrict entry of water and other chemicals
sebum
- prevents skin and hairs from drying out
- contains bactericidal chemicals
acidic pH of 5.5
prevents growth of some microbes
melanin pigment
shields against damaging rays of UV light
types of macrophages that help fight pathogens
- Langerhans cells: intradermal macrophages that alert the immune system
- dermal macrophages: engulf microbes that have invaded past the epidermis
Langerhans cells
- intradermal macrophages that alert the immune system
- make about 5% of epidermis
- type of dendritic cell
dermal macrophages
engulf microbes that have invaded past the epidermis
cutaneous sensations
- sensations that arise in the skin
- skin contains many receptors for:
- tactile sensations (touch, pressure, vibration and tickling)
- thermal sensations (hot and cold)
- pain sensations (indicates impending or actual tissue damage)
synthesis of vitamin D
- requires activation of a precursor molecule in the skin by UV light
- enzymes from the liver and kidneys then modify the activated molecule to produce calcitrol (most active form of vitamin D)
calcitriol
most active form of vitamin D
excretion and absorption
- > 600mL of water, small amounts of salt, CO2, ammonia and urea are excreted through the skin
- drugs can be administered transcutaneously (patches and creams)
skin - general structure
- epidermis
- dermis
- hypodermis (not skin)
epidermis
- makes skin
- made of keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
dermis
- makes skin
- primarily dense irregular connective tissue, with nervous and muscle tissues
hypodermis
- does not make skin
- aka subcutaneous/subQ layer
- formed of areolar and adipose tissue
cells of epidermis - list
- keratinocytes
- stem cells
- melanocytes
- Langerhans cells
- tactile epithelial cells
keratinocytes
- main cells of epidermis (90%)
- produce protein keratin (made by ribosomes)
- produce lamellar granules
keratin
- tough and fibrous protein that helps protect the skin and underlying tissue from heat, microbes, chemicals and abrasion
- produced by keratinocytes
lamellar granules
- release waterproof sealant that protects against water entry/loss - inhibits entry of foreign materials
- produced by keratinocytes
stem cells
- located in basal layer of epidermis
- constantly divide and differentiate into keratinocytes
melanocytes
- make 8% of epidermis
- “melano” = black
- located in basal layer of epidermis
- produce pigment melanin and transfer it into keratinocytes via melanosomes
- melanin contribute to skin colour and absorb UV light, protecting the keratinocytes from damage
melanin
- produced by melanocytes
- contributes to skin colour and absorbs UV light, protecting the keratinocytes from damage
tactile epithelial cells
- aka Merkel cells
- make contact with tactile discs and transmit touch sensations
epidermis - layer
- stratum basale
- stratum spinosum
- stratum granulosum
- stratum lucidum
- stratum corneum
stratum basale
- deepest layer
- single row of cuboidal or columnar keratinocytes
- contains some epidermal stem cells that continually divide and differentiate into the keratinocytes that make the more superficial layers
- contains melanocytes
- cell attachment to each other by desmosomes or to basement membrane by hemidesmosomes (attach to keratin if attachment is inside the cell)
stratum spinosum
- spinosum = spiny
- 8-10 layers of keratinocytes held together by desmosomes
- O2 diffuses from the dermis
- cells in more superficial layers become flattened
- provides strength and flexibility to skin
- most metabolically active layer of the skin
- keratinocytes synthesize and fill up with keratin - coarse bundles in intermediate filaments
- melanin transferred to keratinocytes by endocytosis from nearby melanocytes
stratum spinosum - function
- provides strength and flexibility to skin
- most metabolically active layer of the skin
- keratinocytes synthesize and fill up with keratin - coarse bundles in intermediate filaments
- melanin transferred to keratinocytes by endocytosis from nearby melanocytes
stratum granulosum (function included)
- 3-5 layers of flat dying cells that are undergoing apoptosis
- transitional layer (from metabolically active stratum spinosum layer to dying cells stratum granulosum layer to dead cells more superficial layer)
- contains lamellar granules that release lipid-rich secretions
- water repellant sealant
- secretions fill up the spaces between dead cells of the stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum and stratum corneum
apoptosis
programmed cell death
stratum lucidum
- lucid = clear
- present only in thick skin
- fingertips, palms of hands, soles of feet, plantar surface of toes
- 4-6 layers of clear, flat dead cells (keratinocytes)
- contains large amounts of keratin and thickened cell membranes
stratum corneum
- corne = horn or horny
- 25-30 layers of flattened dead cells filled with keratin and surrounded by lipids (water-repellant)
- keratinocytes surrounded by secretions of the lamellar granules
- cells have thin flat plasma membranes surrounding packages of keratin
- continuously sloughed off
- serves as barrier to injuries, heat, water, chemicals and microbes
stratum corneum - function
serves as barrier to:
- injuries
- heat
- water
- chemicals
- microbes
types of skin
- thin skin
- thick skin