INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

SKIN & ADNEXAL STRUCTURES

INTEGUMENT
SKIN
Outer covering of the body Largest organ in mammals: 12-16% by weight

ADNEXA
Accessory structures: hair, nails, glands, hooves, claws All adnexal structures are epithelial in nature

FUNCTIONS OF INTEGUMENT
BARRIER FUNCTIONS
Insulation Water flux
Controls passage of electrolytes

Antibacterial Filtering UV

FUNCTIONS

THERMOREGULATION
Temperature sensor
Input to CNS

Heat transfer
Radiative Losses

Evaporative cooling
Sweating Panting

FUNCTIONS
BLOOD PRESSURE REGULATION
Integumentary capillary beds exert a major influence on BP Also important in thermoregulation
SCHEMATIC OF SKIN CAPILLARY BEDS

FUNCTIONS
SECRETION & EXCRETION
Sweat glands
Nitrogenous waste disposal
NH3

Mammary glands Sebaceous glands Sweat glands

FUNCTIONS
SPECIES AND SEX RECOGNITION
Coloration patterns Unique individual scent signature

DISPLAY AND SOCIAL INTERACTION

Camouflage Mating and dominance displays Fighting structures, e.g., claws and horns

FUNCTIONS
A SENSORY ORGAN
Heat, cold, pain, vibration, tactile sense, etc. Many receptor structures exist
TRANSDUCERS Free nerve endings

SCHEMATIC OF SKIN RECEPTORS

All in dermis except free nerve endings

 EPIDERMIS
Epithelial sheet
Subdivided into several layers

LAYERS

Keratinized stratified squamous proliferation, death, and renewal Separated from underlying CT Adnexal structures are derived from and continuous with the epidermis

 DERMIS
CT layer
Route of blood and nervous supply

LAYERS

Contains adipose CT and muscle (smooth and skeletal) Mainly Type I collagen
Dense Irreg CT

Support is mechanical and nutritive

Shock protection and insulation

DERMIS
Dermal Projections match epidermal "pegs" Pattern is genetically determined
Basis for fingerprints & nose prints

DERMO-EPIDERMAL BORDER

Dense irregular CT Type I collagen; some elastic fibers Lends strength and support Border irregular Adnexal structures anchored in dermis BVs and nerve fibers, adipose CT and muscle

HYPODERMIS Technically not part of skin

Intimately associated and functionally integrated with it

Contains depots of adipose tissue, BVs, nerves, etc.

Nervous sensors present

Border with dermis is undefined

 The single row of cells nearest the dermal boundary Germinal layer
Source of KERATINOCYTES A reserve layer in constant mitosis
Sensitive to insult

STRATUM BASALE

Contains MELANOCYTES as well as keratinocytes

Source of pigment

 Cells still alive and can divide if necessary Layer is 2-10 cells deep; varies from place to place Prickle cell appearance results from attachments at desmosomes
NO cytoplasmic continuity

STRATUM SPINOSUM

STRATUM SPINOSUM
Intercellular bridges an artifact of preparation
Caused by shrinkage in the stratum spinosum
A consistent feature

Not understood before EM was available

STRATUM GRANULOSUM
Cells can no longer divide Filling with keratin fibers and keratohyaline granules
Not a prerequisite for keratinization
Indication of keratinization occurring

STRATUM LUCIDUM
Not always present
A feature of thick skin

Clear and lucent band between stratum granulosum and stratum corneum

 From Latin, cornus = horn Hardened and compressed outer layer Cells completely dead, lifeless bags of keratin fibers An adaptation to abrasion and high wear areas but always present

STRATUM CORNEUM

STRATUM DISJUNCTUM
The outermost layer of the stratum corneum Sloughing and desquamating dead cells Large animals may lose up to 1 kg per day of skin cells Dandruff is produced here!

 Source of MELANIN Stable population of cells

Little turnover
NOT part of keratinizing system

MELANOCYTES

Less than 10% of the stratum basale Of neural crest origin Contains unique pathway with TYROSINASE

MELANOCYTE
Extensive branching processes Produces melanin and releases it in packets Packets are engulfed by keratinocytes: crinophagy Melanin carried up to surface and lost in sloughing

 Usually unstained in H&E Approximately 10% of all cells in stratum basale Melanocyte activity subject to hormonal and other influences A tumor of melanocytes is a MELANOMA

MELANOCYTE

MELANIN SYNTHESIS

TYROSINE converted to DOPA

DOPA converted to Dopamine and DOPA-quinone
Active DOPA-quinone polymerizes to form Melanin

Lack of tyrosinase results in ALBINISM

Color changes often seasonal, related to day length

HAIRS
Most important and numerous of adnexa
Produced by HAIR FOLLICLES Closely associated with sebaceous and sweat glands

Grow FROM the epidermis, not through it

FUNCTION OF HAIRS INSULATION

Waterproofing and trapping air next to skin
Guard hairs and wool hairs Erection of hairs by hormonal or nervous input

FUNCTION OF HAIRS
CAMOUFLAGE AND DISPLAY
Seasonal changes in color, thickness, type, etc.
Melanocyte activity may also vary with season
Pineal gland involved

Secondary sex characteristics: manes, beards, etc.; also baldness!

ARCHITECTURE OF A FOLLICLE
Hair and inner root sheath arise from GERMINAL MATRIX Inner sheath ends at level of sebaceous glands Hair grows at the base and keratinizes
Similar to stratum corneum

Follicle isolated by a basement membrane from CT

STRUCTURE OF HAIR FOLLICLE HAIR

Produced in deepest regions

INNER and OUTER Root Sheaths

Outer sheath continuous with surface integument

Inner sheath and hair produced in GERMINAL MATRIX

 Three components
CUTICLE, CORTEX, and MEDULLA
Hairs may be hollow

X-SECTION NEAR SURFACE

All portions produced in germinal matrix Cuticle and cortex always present
Medulla may be missing

 Derived from germinal matrix of hair bulb Contains TRICOHYALINE GRANULES

Comparable to keratohyaline granules Layer similar to stratum granulosum of epidermis

X-SECTION THROUGH INNER ROOT SHEATH

 Germinal matrix is region of growth

Often contains melanocytes

HAIR BULB

Proliferation of matrix depends on association with DERMAL PAPILLA

An inductive phenomenon Papilla does not proliferate!

GERMINAL MATRIX & DERMAL PAPILLA

ANAGEN
Period of active growth: Physical proximity of dermal papilla induces growth Subjected to hormonal and other influences

CATAGEN
Period of quiescence and cessation of growth: papilla regress "club hair forms
Shedding is loss of club hairs

TELOGEN
Transitional stage

ARRECTOR PILI MUSCLE

Smooth muscle
Inserts on outer surface of follicle

Contraction raises hair

May be for increased loft and warmth May be an aggressive display Goose bumps

SEBACEOUS GLANDS
Usually empty into follicle
Waxy sebum waterproofs hairs

Coats the hair as it passes out of follicle Derived from epidermis and isolated from dermis by basement membrane

SEBACEOUS GLAND
HOLOCRINE secretion
Simple branched acinar

Decomposing secretions contribute to individual scent

SWEAT GLANDS
Structure is SIMPLE COILED TUBULAR
ECCRINE secretion
Associated with hairs

Perspiration
Ammonia excretion

APOCRINE secretion
Contributes to scent signature "Lather" Restricted distribution

Both types may open onto skin

FUNCTIONS OF SWEAT GLANDS

COOLING
Evaporative water loss a major route of heat removal Eccrine glands have sympathetic innervation: sweating with fear a real phenomenon

EXCRETION
Also a means of disposing of soluble ammonia

SCENT SIGNATURE
From decomposition of apocrine secretions

SECRETORY & DUCT REGIONS OF SWEAT GLAND

NERVOUS TISSUE IN THE SKIN

The skin is a major sensory organ Nerve fibers run through dermis to receptor structures Receptors are TRANSDUCERS and signals go to CNS via dorsal root ganglia Motor fibers innervate muscles, glands, etc. Numerous receptor types exist: hot, cold, pain, pressure, vibration, etc. Anatomic/functional correlations not all understood

 Sensory transducers for touch Lamellar structures with associated nerve fibers Located in the DERMIS at the dermo-epidermal boundary Deformation causes depolarization of nerve fiber

TACTILE CORPUSCLES

TACTILE CORPUSCLE

 Very large structures Located in hypodermis Coarse pressure and/or vibration transducer Similar mechanism to tactile corpuscles May also be found in viscera

LAMELLAR CORPUSCLES

 An adnexal structure
Derived from epidermis as are all the others

MAMMARY GLAND

Exocrine gland
Compound acinar

Secretion is triggered by hormonal and neuronal stimuli Most domestic animals have a milk cistern or reservoir

SECRETORY ORGANIZATION
Secretory areas bounded by MYOEPITHELIAL CELLS Contraction is responsible for discharge of milk Most milk stored in ducts and expelled on stimulation

MYOEPITHELIAL CELLS
Characteristics of smooth muscle and epithelium Similar cells found in other glands, e.g. sweat glands Share a basement membrane with the secretory epithelium

MAMMARY SECRETION
Exocytosis for release of milk proteins Milk lipids released in membranewrapped globules Contractions of myoepithelial cells expel milk from lumen of the gland