Skin and Body Membranes
Skin and Body Membranes
Skin and Body Membranes
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
- It insulates and cushions the deeper body organs
and protects the entire body from mechanical
damage (bumps and cuts), chemical damage (such
as from acids and bases), thermal damage (heat
and cold), ultraviolet (UV) radiation (in sunlight),
and microbes
2 parts of skin that has been controlled by nervous system:
1. Capillary network
2. Sweat glands
- Skin acts as a mini-excretory system
- The skin also produces acidic secretions, called the
acid mantle, that protect against bacterial invasion
Blister- interstitial fluid that accumulate in the cavity between the layers of epidermis
and dermis due on burning or friction which separate them.
Epidermis- Most cells of the epidermis are keratinocytes (keratin cells),
which produce keratin, the fibrous protein that makes the epidermis a
tough protective layer in a process called keratinization.
- Epidermal dendritic cells- important sentries that
alert and activate immune system cells to a threat
such as bacterial or viral invasion.
- Merkel cells- they are associated with sensory nerve
endings and serve as touch receptors called Merkel
disc
Dermis contains:
1. Collagen- responsible for the toughness of the dermis; they also attract
and bind water and thus help to keep the skin hydrated.
2. Elastic fibers- give the skin its elasticity when we are young.
Skin Color
Amount of Melanin- tanning of the skin. It is produced by melanocytes
when exposing to sunlight. As the melanocytes produce melanin, it
accumulates in their cytoplasm in membrane-bound granules called
melanosomes. These granules then move to the ends of the melanocytes’
spidery arms, where they are taken up by nearby keratinocytes. Inside the
keratinocytes, the melanin forms a pigment umbrella over the superficial,
or “sunny,” side of their nuclei and shields their genetic material (DNA)
from the damaging effects of UV radiation in sunlight
The amount of Carotene deposited in stratum corneum and subcutaneous
tissue
The amount of oxygen-rich hemoglobin (pigment in red blood cells) in the
dermal blood vessels
Emotions also influence skin color
• Redness, or erythema. Reddened skin may indicate
embarrassment (blushing), fever, hypertension, inflammation, or
allergy.
• Pallor, or blanching. Under certain types of emotional stress (fear,
anger, and others), some people become pale. Pale skin may also
signify anemia, low blood pressure, or impaired blood flow into the
area.
• Jaundice or a yellow cast. An abnormal yellow skin tone usually
signifies a liver disorder in which excess bile pigments accumulate
in the blood, circulate throughout the body, and become deposited
in body tissues.
• Bruises. The black-and-blue marks of bruising reveal sites where
blood has escaped from the circulation and has clotted in the tissue
spaces. Such clotted blood masses are called hematomas. An
unusual tendency to bruise may signify a deficiency of vitamin C in
the diet or hemophilia (bleeder’s disease).
Sebaceous glands (Oil Glands)- they are found all over the skin, except on
the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Their ducts usually empty
into a hair follicle, but some open directly onto the skin surface.
- Sebum- the product of sebaceous glands. It is a
mixture of oily substances and fragmented cells.
Sebum is a lubricant. Sebum also contains
chemicals that kill bacteria, so it is important in
preventing bacterial infection of the skin. The
sebaceous glands become very active when
androgens (male sex hormones) are produced in
increased amounts (in both sexes) during
adolescence. Thus, the skin tends to become oilier
during this period of life.
- Seborrhea- known as “cradle cap” in infants, is
caused by overactivity of the sebaceous gland
Sweat glands (Sudoriferous Glands)- The eccrine sweat glands are an
important and highly efficient part of the body’s heat-regulating
equipment. They are supplied with nerve endings that cause them to
secrete sweat when the external temperature or body temperature is too
high
Hair- Hormones account for the development of hairy regions—the scalp and, in
the adult, the pubic and axillary areas
Parts of hair:
Root- the part of the hair enclosed in the hair follicle
Shaft- a part projecting from the surface of the scalp or skin
Medulla- central core of hair
Cortex layer- encloses the medulla, composed of several layers of flattened
cells
Cuticle- encloses the cortex layer, composed of single layer of cells that
overlap one another like shingles on a roof. It is the heavily keratinized
region; it provides strength and helps keep the inner hair layers tightly
compacted.
- Split ends- a phenomenon wherein the inner hair
regions frizz out.
Sizes of hair:
When the hair shaft is oval, hair is smooth, silky, and wavy.
When the shaft is flat and ribbonlike, the hair is curly or kinky.
If it is perfectly round, the hair is straight and tends to be coarse
Hair follicle
Inner epithelial root sheath- composed of epithelial tissue and forms the
hair.
Outer fibrous sheath- composed of dermal connective tissue. It supplies
blood vessels to the epidermal portions and reinforces it.
Hair papilla- a nipplelike that provides the blood supply to the matrix in
the hair bulb.
Hair bulb- the deepest part of the follicle
Arrector pili- small bands of smooth muscle cells that connect each side of
the hair to the dermal tissue. When these muscles contract (as when we
are cold or frightened), the hair is pulled upright, dimpling the skin
surface with “goose bumps.”
BURNS- A tissue damage and cell death caused by intense heat, electricity, UV
radiation (sunburn), or certain chemicals (such as acids), which denature proteins and
cause cell death in the affected areas
2 Life threatening than occur during burns:
1. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance
2. Infections
Rule of nines:
4 classifications of burns:
1. First-degree Burns- destroy superficial epidermis is damaged. Can heal in 2-3
days. No blister
2. Second-degree Burns- destroy epidermis and superficial dermis. Has blister.
Regeneration can occur. No permanent scars
3. Third-degree Burns- destroy both the epidermis and dermis and even extend into
subcutaneous tissue. Full thickness burns. burned area appears blanched (gray-
white) or blackened. Has blisters. Regeneration is not possible and Skin Grafting
must be done to cover the underlying exposed tissues.
4. Fourth-degree Burns- from epidermis until deeper tissues such as bone, muscle,
or tendons. Also, a full-thickness burns. These burns appear dry and leathery,
and they require surgery and grafting to cover exposed tissue. In severe cases,
amputation may be required to save the patient’s life.