Vertebrates'Integumentary System 2021

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Vertebrate’s Integumentary System

Nature and Function of the Integument

• The outer covering of the body of vertebrates

• Commonly referred to as SKIN

- Includes the mucous membrane lining of the mouth, eyelids, nostrils and the openings
of rectum and urogenital organs.

- Forms the interface between organisms and the external environment.

• It consists of two layers:

- An outer epidermis

- Inner dermis

◦ Between the epidermis and dermis lies the basement membrane (basal lamina
and reticular lamina)
 • Basement membrane – underlying support where epithelial cells are
rested. It demarcates the underlying connective tissue from epithelium.

• Basal Lamina - Membrane proteins of the epithelial cells are anchored in

the basal lamina. The major 2 glycoproteins - LAMININ and Type IV
COLLAGEN

• Reticular Lamina - Reticular fibers embedded in ground substance that

connect the basal lamina with the underlying CT.

• The basal lamina acts as a selectively permeable filter between

epidermis and dermis connective tissue.

◦ Under the dermis lies a subcutaneous tissue or hypodermis that is made up of

very loose connective and adipose tissue

◦ Varies in different regions of the body, in different individuals, different ages

and different groups of vertebrates
SKIN OF REPRESENTATIVE VERTEBRATES

Functions of the Skin

• Keeps water and other substances in a controlled passage.

• Protective barrier from mechanical, chemical, bacterial, UV and thermal damages, and
dessication (keratinocytes, glycolipids, melanocytes, wandering cells, cutaneous (skin)
receptors).

• Cutaneous receptors: touch, pressure, temperature & pain

• Controls body temperature (heat loss or heat retention) Insulation & cushions underlying
organs.

• Excretion of urea & uric acid through sweat.

• Synthesizes vitamin D (conversion of cholesterol Vit D

Embryonic Origin and Development

• Epidermis – arises from ectoderm

- S. germinativum – attached to basement membrane, it actively cell divides to replenish

the outer periderm.

- Epidermis differentiates into stratified layer with mucous or keratin coat on the outer
surface (prevents dessication)

• Dermis origin varies…

- Dermatome – principal origin, from the outer wall of dermomyotome of somites.

 - Connective tissue layer of the dermis – from dermatome that settles under the
epidermis. Some species may have stratum compactum that have diffuse, irregular
collagen bundles.

• Hypodermis – beneath the dermis

- Forms the fascia composed of loose connective tissue and adipose tissue.

Layers…….

• Skin is composed of three primary layers:

- epidermis which provides waterproofing and serves as a barrier to infection;

- dermis which serves as a location for the appendages of skin; and the

- hypodermis (subcutaneous adipose layer), which is called the basement membrane.

Epidermis

• The epidermis is composed of epithelial cells derived from the ectoderm.

• Serves as the interface between the organisms and the environment

• In aquatic vertebrates, covered by a thin coat of mucus and contains unicellular glands.
 • In terrestrial vertebrates, covered by a layer of dead, water resistant cornified cells, the stratum
corneum and contains multicellular glands.

• Made up of stratified squamous layer of epithelial cells.

Layers:

1. Stratum corneum- outermost; composed of dead cells; keratinized

- keratinized layer of skin is responsible for keeping water in the body and keeping other harmful
chemicals and pathogens out, making skin a natural barrier to infection.

2. Stratum lucidum- translucent layer, composed of flat, dead and non-nucleated cells.

3. Stratum granulosum- composed of keratohyaline granules

4. Stratum spinosum- prickle cell layer; composed of Langerhans cells.

5. Stratum germinativum (basale)- inner layer, composed of actively dividing cells

Epidermal cells

• The main type of cells which make up the epidermis are :

- Keratinocytes- 90% of epidermal cells; produce keratin.

- Melanocytes- 8 % of epidermal cells; produce melanin

- Langerhans cells- capable of trapping antigen in the skin.

- Merkel cells- make contact with the ending of a sensory neuron.

Dermis

• The dermis lies below the epidermis and contains a number of structures including blood
vessels, nerves, hair follicles, smooth muscle, glands and lymphatic tissue.

• It consists of loose connective tissue otherwise called areolar connective tissue - collagen,
elastin and reticular fibers are present.
 • Provides tensile strength, and physiologic support for the interfacing epidermis

• Has an ancient and persistent potential to form bone

Hypodermis or Subcutaneous tissue

- Deep to dermis, abundant adipose tissue

- Considered not part of the skin but as anchorage to underlying organs

- “Shock absorber” & insulates the deep tissues from extreme temperature changes
outside the body.

- Accounts for “curves” of the woman than man.

Subcutaneous Layer

• The hypodermis is not part of the skin, and lies below the dermis.

• Its purpose is to attach the skin to underlying bone and muscle as well as supplying it with
blood vessels and nerves.

• It consists of loose connective tissue and elastin. The main cell types are fibroblasts,
macrophages and adipocytes (the hypodermis contains 50% of body fat).

• Fat serves as padding and insulation for the body.

Chromatophores (Pigment)

• Provides concealing coloration to the integument

• Occurs in certain cells in a form of small granules contained in chromatophores (pigment-

bearing cells)

- Greatest amount of color is exhibited when pigment granules are dispersed throughout
the cell.

- Less amount of color is exhibited when pigment granules are concentrated about the
nucleus.

Chromatophores are pigment-bearing cells of lower vertebrates, including fish that cater for the ability
of individual animals to shift body coloration and pattern. Color change provides dynamic camouflage
and various kinds of communication.
Underwater Chromatophores

• Various colors maybe produced by combinations of different chromatophores and by different

degrees of dispersion of pigment granules.

• Skin color also depends on the background color of the stratum germinativum

• Some vertebrates have the ability to change color

(metachromatosis), controlled

by the endocrine and the

nervous system.
Types of Chromatophores

1. Melanophores

• Pigment cell that ranges from yellow, brown to black.

• Chiefly found in S. basale

• Melanin protects the chromosomes of mitotically active basal cells against light-induced
damage.

• Pigmentation is not just under the control of light. Hormones produced by the pituitary and the
adrenal glands also affect pigmentation. Diseases of these two endocrine organs often result in
changes of pigmentation of the skin.

• Although melanocytes are also ectodermal in origin, they are derived exclusively from the
neural crest of the embryo, from where they migrate to all other parts of the body.

• Basal cells phagocytize the pigment as it accumulates them especially when skin is exposed to
sun.
• FRECKLES OR MOLES – seen where melanin is concentrated in one spot.

• 2. Lipophores

- Carotenoids (yellow, orange, red pigments)

- Xanthophores – yellow

- Erythrophores – red

• 3. Iridophores or Guanophores

- Causes iridiscence in vertebrates (fishes)

- Contains guanin (purine) crystals

B. Glandular epithelium

• From S. germinativum (epidermis)

• Exocrine glands – have ducts directly empties onto epithelium.

Types of glands as to composition:

• Unicellular Gland

Single-celled mucus-secreting glands

• Multicellular Gland

Growth of s. germinativum (epidermis) into dermal region

Types of Unicellular gland (basis: shape)

• 1. Club cells
- Elongated, binucleated (amphibians)

- Secretes mucus

- May contain chemicals that stimulates alarm or fear

- Secreted by individuals (in captivity) as warning to others

• 2. Granular cells

- Secretes mucus in skin (lampreys & other fishes)

• 3. Goblet cells

- Narrow apical end, wide base (osteichthyes & chondricthyes)

- Secretes mucus

• 4. Sacciform cells

- Secrete large, membrane-bound toxic products to repel enemies

Types of multicellular glands:

1. Tubular Glands
TUBULAR GLANDS

2. Saccular (alveolar) glands

ALVEOLAR / SACCULAR GLANDS

Types of Glands as to Method of Secretion

Types of Glands as to Method of Secretion

Types as to methods of secretion:

1. Merocrine glands- true glands; not destroyed during secretion; sweatgland

2. Apocrine glands- part of the cell is destroyed that go with the secretion.
3. Holocrine glands- the entire cell goes with the secretion but a new cell is produced to replace it;
sebaceous or oil gland

-the apical portions of cells are pinched off and lost during the secretory process. This results in a
secretory product that contains a variety of molecular components including those of the
membrane. Mammary glands release their products in this manner.

holocrine, involves death of the cell. The secretory cell is released and as it breaks apart, the contents of
the cell become the secretory product.

Copyright ©1999 The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Types of Glands as to type of secretion:

• 1. Mucous glands- secrete mucus

- Example; unicellular gland of aquatic vertebrates and some simple saccular glands of
fishes and amphibians

2. Serous gland (sudoriferous glands)

- secrete watery substance; e.g. sweat glands

3. Sebaceous gland (oil glands)

- Secrete oily substance

- E.g. uropygial glands of birds, ceruminous glands and Meibomian glands of human
Serous Gland: PAROTID GLAND, HUMAN
Types of Dermal Scales: Fishes
– made up of cosmine (dentine-like) forming thick scales over-layered with thin enamel.
Placoid Scales

Modifications of placoid scales: Shark teeth; dorsal fin spines

Ganoid scales
Found in :
• Gars

• Sturgeons

• Paddlefish

• Red fish

• Bichirs
Ctenoid Scale
-with comb-like or serrated edges along the rear margins

Cycloid Scale

Teleost or Bony fish scales

-smooth rear margins

Integument of Fishes

- Skin of most fishes is non-keratinized and covered by a mucus cuticle

Functions of the mucus cuticle in fishes:

1. Prevents penetration of bacteria

2. Contributes to the laminar flow of water across the surface

3. Makes the fish slippery to predators

4. Includes chemicals that are repugnant or toxic to enemies

Epidermis of Fishes

-alive and active on the body surface

-no superficial layer of dead, keratinized cells

-mitosis is not restricted to the basal layer

-contains two types of cells:

*Epidermal cells

-make up the stratified epidermis

*Specialized unicellular glands

-connected through cell junctions containing

numerous secretory vesicles that are released to

the surface

-contributes to the mucous cuticle

• Placoid scale embedded in skin epidermis, Shark
 • Chromatophores in epidermis and pulp (arrow)

Lamprey skin epidermis (E), thinner dermis (D)

Unicellular glands (arrow).

Iridescence (also known as goniochromism) is the phenomenon of certain surface s that appear to
gradually change color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes.

Guanophores – guanin (purine crystal); causes iridiscence in fishes

Integument of Amphibians

-specialized as a respiratory surface (Cutaneous respiration)

1. Epidermis

-divided into four layers:

• stratum basale

• stratum spinosum

• stratum granulosum
 • stratum corneum

-stratum corneum is thin allowing cutaneous respiration

• capillary beds reach into the lower part for cutaneous respiration

2. Dermis

• Thinner

• composed of fibrous connective

 • tissue divided into 2 layers:

- stratum spongiosum

- stratum compactum

mucous and granular poison glands are located in the dermis

chromatophores are located in the dermis but sometimes found in the epidermis

Epidermis
Stratum spongiosum

Stratum compactum

Integument of Reptiles
• more adapted to terrestrial existence than in Amphibians

• extensive keratinization

• fewer skin glands

1. Epidermis

• divided into three layers:

• stratum basale

• stratum granulosum
 • stratum corneum

- epidermal scales are present :

Scutes- large, plate-like scales

• scales modified into crests, spines or horn-like processes

2. Dermis

• dermal bones located under the epidermal scales are found in crocodiles, some lizards, and
some extinct reptiles

• composed of fibrous connective tissues

Molting or Ecdysis--shedding of cornified layer of the skin

Osteoderms –the bony plate inside the skin in alligators
Skin glands in Reptiles

• restricted to certain areas of the body

• important in reproductive behavior and protection

Femoral glands

• found along the underside of the hindlimbs in the thigh region of lizards

Scent glands

• open into the cloaca and on the margins of the lower jaw in crocodiles and some turtles
Integument of Aves

• Adapted to free movement over the muscles

• delicate except in exposed areas (legs and feet)

• -covered and protected by feathers

1. Epidermis

-composed of statum basale, a transitional layer and stratum corneum

2. Dermis

-richly supplied with blood vessels, sensory nerves and smooth muscles

Brood patches

-highly vascularized dermis in the breast during brooding season.

Preening is a maintenance behavior found in birds that involves the use of the beak to position feathers,
interlock feather barbules that have become separated, clean plumage, and keep ectoparasites in check.

Aves: Feathers

-modified reptilian scales

formed from the beta keratin layer of the epidermis

 • Long, slender shaft with few barbs at distal end

• Distributed over the body surface

• Shaft – embedded in skin

- Chicken – plucked

- Peacocks – unusual length

Filoplumes are very small and have only a very few barbs at their tips. They are believed to have a
sensory function, helping birds keep their feathers in order.
Down feathers

-Smaller and lack the barbules and their accompanying hooklets so they are not zipped together and do
not look as neat.

-They are soft and fluffy

Provide most of the insulation to the avian body.

Semiplume, Falcon

Contour feather or Plumae

• Arise from feather tracts or Pterylae

• Long shaft: Calamus (hollow quill, embedded in skin) and Rachis (solid part that bears the vane).

• Vane (broad, flat portion-exposed)

• Gives avian body outline or contour

• Flight feathers or remiges – contour feather on the wings

• Rectrices – feathers on the tail

• Common in most birds except Penguins and Ostriches

Remiges, Falcon
Rectrices, Falcon
 • Penguin feathers-with minute feathers for insulation but not for flight or swimming

• Each feather grows from a structure in the bird's skin roughly comparable to a hair follicle in
humans. First the old feather falls away. As a new one grows, it starts to look like a plastic
drinking straw. Within this tube, or sheath, the feather itself develops, its barbs crammed in a
tight packed spiral. After the tip of the spiral splits, allowing the feather to unfold, fan -like, into
its final shape.

Human Integumentary System

Integument of Human
Epidermis - beaver tail
Hooves-homologous to fingernails in amniotes
Sources/ References

Ching, J.2012. Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates

Compendium.National Bookstore, Mandaluyong City

Kardong,K.2000.Vertebrates:Comparative Anatomy,

Function, Evolution.International Ed.

Singapore:McGraw-Hill Book Companies, Inc.

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