PRAGYAN COLLEGE OF NUSING-BHOPAL

BSC NURSING 1ST YEAR

SUBJECT- ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

TOPIC-INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM/THE SKIN

The skin completely covers the body and is continous with the membranes lining the body orifices:

 Protects the underlying structure from injury and from invasion by microbes.
 Contains sensory(somatic) nerve endings of pain, temperature and touch.
 Is induced in the regulation of body temperature.

STRUCTURE OF SKIN:-
The skin is the largest organ in the body and has a surface area about 1.5 to 2m square in
adults and it contains glands, hairs and nails. There are two main layers:

 Epidermis
 Dermis
Between the skin one underlying structure is a layer of subcutaneous fat.

 EPIDERMIS- the epidermis is the outer most layer of the skin. Its thickness varies different
parts of the body .it is composed of stratified keratinized squamous epithelium. The epidermis
does not contain blood vessels or nerve endings . there are many layer of cells forming the
epidermis such as stratrum corneum, stratum lucidium, stratum granulosum and germinative
layer.
The cell on the surface of the skin are flat, thin, keratinized, non nucleated and
dead cells. These cells continuosly shed off from the surface of the skin and are replaced by
cell formed in the germinative layer moves upwards and replace the cells that are shed off.
The cells of the epidemis are called papillae that are formed by projection of cells in the
epidermis and the pattern of these ridges makes the fingerprints.
The maintanence of healthy epidermis depends upon three process being sychronised.
Desquamation (shedding) of the keratinized cells from the surface.
Effective keratinsation of the cells approaching the surface.
Continual cells division in the deeper layer with newly formed cells being pushed to the
surface.
Hairs, secreation from sebaceous glands and ducts of sweat glands pass
through the epidermis is reach the surface.

 DERMIS- the dermis is present below the epidermis. It is tough and elastic. It is formed of
connective tissue cells and connective tissue matrix. The connective tissue matrix contains
collagen fibers binds water and provides tensile strength. The over stretching of elastic fiber
causes its rupture and this result in stretch. The dermis consist of mast cells, fibroblasts and
macrophages that helps in protecting the body against microbes. Dermis also contains blood
vessels, lymph vessels sensory nerve endings, sweat glands sebaceous glands, hair and
arrector pili muscles.

BLOOD VESSELS –There are arterioles that form a network of capillaries in the dermis.
It supplies oxygen and nourishment to the structure of the dermis sebaceous glands,
sweat glands and hair follicles. Oxygen and nutrients to the epidermis is supplied by
the interstitial fluid that is formed the blood vessels of the papillae of the dermis.

LYMPH VESSELS- throughout the dermis there is a network of lymph vessels that
drains lymph.

SENSORY NERVE ENDINGS- the skin is involved in the sense of touch, pain,
temperature and pressure. It has got sensory receptors that sends impulses to the
spinal cord and to the brain. In the sensory area of the cerebrum these sensations are
received, interpreted and are perceived.

SWEAT GLANDS- The sweat glands are present in the skin throughout the body. They
are composed of epithelial cell , they are present in large no. in the axilla grains, and
palms of hands and sole of foot. The ducts of the sweat glands opens into the surface
of the skin at the small pores and some of the ducts opens into the hair follicles. The
sweat glands are stimulated by sympathetic nerves fibers in response to increased
body temperature. The amount of production of sweat is controlled by temperature
regulation centre in the hypothalamus. The evaporation of sweat takes off the body
temperature sweating may leads to dehydration.

SEBACEOUS GLANDS- The sebaceous glands are formed of secretory epithelial cells. It
is secreates an oily substance called sebum. The sebum provide oily and shiny
appearance to the skin and hair. They are present on the scalp, face, labia minora, lips,
eyelids, nipple and glans penis. Sebum has bactericidal and fungicidal properties that
prevent infections. In areas where there are hairs the ducts of sebaceous glands opens
into the hair follicles. The areas where there is no hairs, the ducts of sebaceous gland
opens directly on to the surface of skin. It keeps skin a water proof layer and also
prevent cracking of the skin. The sebaceous glands are most active during puberty.

HAIRS- The down growth of the epidermal cells into the dermis and subcutaneous
tissues form hair follicles. The lower end of the hair follicles is bulged and consist of
cluster of cells called the bulb. The cell of the bulb multiply and push upward and
become dead and keratinized from the hair. The part of the hair above the level of
skin is called shaft. The part of hair below the level of skin is called roots.
 White hair is the result of the replacement of melanin
by tiny air bubbles.

ARRETOR PILLI- These are muscle fibers that are attached to the hair follicles. The contraction
of arrector pili muscle make the hair erects. It is stimulated by sympathetic stimulation in
response to cold and fear. The involuntary contraction of skeletal muscle a long with the
contraction of arrector pili helps in the production of heat when exposed to cold.
NAILS- It is formed of the same cels that forms epidermis and hair. It priotects the fingers tips
of hands and legs. It is hard and horny kweratin plates. The root of nail is covered by skin
called cuticles. Just distal to is these a pale hemisphere area called lunula the exposed part of
nail is the nail plate. Nail is formed from germinative layer of epidermis from the nail bed

 HYPODRMIS- The hypodermis lies below the dermis. It is also termed as subcutaneous
tissue. It contains subcutaneous fat. The body of the sweat glands are present in the
subcutaneous layer.

FUNCTION OF SKIN:-

1) PROTECTION- The skinforms a relatively waterproof layer, provided mainly by its

keratinized epithelium which protects the deeper and more delicate structure. As an
important non specific defence mechanism it acts as a barrier against.
-invasion by microbes
-chemicals
-physical agents eg –mild trauma, uv rays.
-dehydration

2) REGULATION OF TEMPRATURE- A constant temp. of the body is maintained with

the help of the skin. The body temp. raises when the metabolic activity increased and the body temp.
falls when the metabolic activity decreased. Normal body temp. is maintained by balancing between
the heat produced in the body.

HEAT PRODUCTION-

Heat is produced in our body by metabolic activity of the cells. The more active organ produces more
amount of heat. Significant amount of heat is produced by contraction of skeletal muscles during
muscular activity and also during shivering. The activity of the liver [produce a large amount of heat as
it is a very metabolically active organ of the body. The digestive organs also produces considerable
amount of heat during the process of digestion and peristalsis.
HEAT LOSS- The skin is the main organ of the heat loss from the body small amount of heat is also lost
through the expired air, urine and faeces. The mechanism of heat loss through the skin are
evaporation, conduction, convection, and radiation.

3)SENSORY PERCEPTION-

Sensory receptors or sensory nerve endings are present in the dermis of the skin. They are sensitive to
pain, touch, temp. the nerve impulse are initiated. The impulse carried to the cerebral cortex and
these sensation are perceived.

EXCRECTION- Skin is an organ of excretion some extent sodium chloride is excreted through sweat.
When kidney functions fails some amount of urea is excreted through the skin.

4) FORMATION OF VITAMIN –D-

A lipid based substance present in the skin is 7- dehydrocholestrol. Ultra violwet rays of sunlight
convert it to vitamin-D. vitamin-D is essential for formation and maintanance of bone.

5) DETERMINES THE SKIN COLOR-

Skin color is determined by melanin. Melanin is a dark pigment secreated by melanocytes present in
the germinative layer of the epidermis. Melanin protects the skin from harmful effects of sunlight.
amount of its secretion is genetically determined. The percentage of haemoglobin and blood in the
dermis of the skin gives it a pink color.

MECHANISM OF CONTROL OF BODY TEMPRATURE-

 NERVOUS CONTROL- The temp. regulating center is present in the hypothalamus. It is

sensitive to change in temp. circulating blood. It sends impulse to produce more
amount of sweat when body temp. increases.
 VASOCONSTRICTION AND VASODIALATATION-Vasomotor center present in the
medulla oblongata controls the diameter of the arteres and arterioles when body
temp. increases the vasomotor centre causes vasodialatation that results in increase
amount of blood supply to the dermis of the skin. T5he skin thus increase heat loss
through the mechanism of conduction, convection, and radiation. When the body
temp,.falls the vasomotor cener cause vasoconstriction decreasing the heat loss
through the skin.
 ACTIVITY OF SWEAT GLANDS- the increase in the temp. of the body stimulates the
sweat glands. It increases the amount of sweat production and sweat is brought to
the surface of the skin through ther ducts.