Integumentary system

Question 1

What are the components of the integumentary system (5)

Answer 1

1. Skin
2. Hair
3. Nails
4. Some Nerves
5. Some Glands

Question 2

What are the functions of the integumentary system (5)

Answer 2

1. Shield/barrier to the external environment
2. Protects against disease and infection
3. Regulates body temperature
4. Touch/sensitivity
5. Retention of body fluids

Question 3

How does the skin protect against disease and infection/barrier (3)

Answer 3

1. Skin acts as a physical barrier to bacteria protecting the internal organs (epithelial layer)
2. immune cells that act like macrophages called Langerhans cells.
3. Langerhans are activated during the wound healing process, and microbial and viral “invasion”

Question 4

How is the integumentary system fundamental to our sense of touch (4)

Answer 4

1. Merkel cells - Specialist cells
2. found in digits, lips, oral cavity and hair follicles
3. Keratinocytes when deformed stimulate Merkel cells
4. Merkel cells secrete chemicals that generate an action potential in local neurons.

Question 5

What are the layers of the skin (3)

Answer 5

1. Epidermis
2. Dermis
3. Subcutaneous adipose layer

Question 6

What layers does the epidermis contain (4)

Answer 6

1. Granular layer - melanin & protective products
2. Basal layer - regular shape column-like cells attached to the basement membrane
3. Cornified cell layer - filled with keratin, no nucleus, prevent water movement
4. Squamous epithelial tissue - flat irregular cells

Question 7

What cells does the epidermis contain (6)

Answer 7

1. epithelial cells
2. Melanocytes
3. Keratinocytes
4. Corneocytes
5. Merkel cells
6. Langerhans cells

Question 8

What is the dermis (3)

Answer 8

1. A vascular layer of the skin
2. contains fibrous, filamentous and amorphous connective tissue.
3. Made up of 2 layers: the papillary and the reticular layers.

Question 9

What does the dermis contain (5)

Answer 9

1. 15 types of collagen
2. papillary dermis - loosely arranged collagen fibres
3. papillae that extend to the epidermis containing capillaries and corpuscles
4. Reticular dermis - dense connective tissue, collagen and elastic fibres,
5. Dermal fibroblasts - production of fibrillin, elastin and collagen generates connective tissue.

Question 10

What does the subcutaneous layer contain

Answer 10

adipocytes - thermoregulation & control hormones