Integumentary System The skin is the largest organ in the body: 12-15% of body weight, with a surface area

of 1-2 meters. Skin is continuous with, but structurally distinct from mucous membranes that line the mouth, anus, urethra, and agina. Two distinct layers occur in the skin: the dermis and e!idermis. The basic cell ty!e of the e!idermis is the keratinocyte, which contain keratin, a fibrous !rotein. "asal cells are the innermost layer of the e!idermis. #elanocytes !roduce the !igment melanin, and are also in the inner layer of the e!idermis. The dermis is a connecti e tissue layer under the e!idermis, and contains ner e endings, sensory rece!tors, ca!illaries, and elastic fibers. The integumentary system has multi!le roles in homeostasis, including !rotection, tem!erature regulation, sensory rece!tion, biochemical synthesis, and absor!tion. $ll body systems work in an interconnected manner to maintain the internal conditions essential to the function of the body. Follicles and Glands %air follicles are lined with cells that synthesi&e the !roteins that form hair. $ sebaceous gland 'that secretes the oily coating of the hair shaft(, ca!illary bed, ner e ending, and small muscle are associated with each hair follicle. )f the sebaceous glands becomes !lugged and infected, it becomes a skin blemish 'or !im!le(. The sweat glands o!en to the surface through the skin !ores. *ccrine glands are a ty!e of sweat gland linked to the sym!athetic ner ous system+ they occur all o er the body. $!ocrine glands are the other ty!e of sweat gland, and are larger and occur in the arm!its and groin areas+ these !roduce a solution that bacteria act u!on to !roduce ,body odor,. Hair and Nails %air, scales, feathers, claws, horns, and nails are animal structures deri ed from skin. The hair shaft e-tends abo e the skin surface, the hair root e-tends from the surface to the base or hair bulb. .enetics controls se eral features of hair: baldness, color, te-ture. /ails consist of highly keratini&ed, modified e!idermal cells. The nail arises from the nail bed, which is thickened to form a lunula 'or little moon(. 0ells forming the nail bed are linked together to form the nail. Skin and Homeostasis Skin functions in homeostasis include !rotection, regulation of body tem!erature, sensory rece!tion, water balance, synthesis of itamins and hormones, and absor!tion of materials. The skin1s !rimary functions are to ser e as a barrier to the

entry of microbes and iruses, and to !re ent water and e-tracellular fluid loss. $cidic secretions from skin glands also retard the growth of fungi. #elanocytes form a second barrier: !rotection from the damaging effects of ultra iolet radiation. 2hen a microbe !enetrates the skin 'or when the skin is breached by a cut( the inflammatory res!onse occurs. %eat and cold rece!tors are located in the skin. 2hen the body tem!erature rises, the hy!othalamus sends a ner e signal to the sweat-!roducing skin glands, causing them to release about 1-2 liters of water !er hour, cooling the body. The hy!othalamus also causes dilation of the blood essels of the skin, allowing more blood to flow into those areas, causing heat to be con ected away from the skin surface. 2hen body tem!erature falls, the sweat glands constrict and sweat !roduction decreases. )f the body tem!erature continues to fall, the body will engage in thermiogenesis, or heat generation, by raising the body1s metabolic rate and by shi ering. 2ater loss occurs in the skin by two routes.
1. e a!oration 2. sweating

)n hot weather u! to 3 liters !er hour can be lost by these mechanisms. Skin damaged by burns is less effecti e at !re enting fluid loss, often resulting in a !ossibly life threatening !roblem if not treated. Skin and Sensory Reception Sensory rece!tors in the skin include those for !ain, !ressure 'touch(, and tem!erature. 4ee!er within the skin are #eissner1s cor!uscles, which are es!ecially common in the ti!s of the fingers and li!s, and are ery sensiti e to touch. 5acinian cor!uscles res!ond to !ressure. Tem!erature rece!tors: more cold ones than hot ones. Skin and Synthesis Skin cells synthesi&e melanin and carotenes, which gi e the skin its color. The skin also assists in the synthesis of itamin 4. 0hildren lacking sufficient itamin 4 de elo! bone abnormalities known as rickets. Skin Is Selectively Permeable The skin is selecti ely soluble to fat-soluble substances such as itamins $, 4, *, and 6, as well as steroid hormones such as estrogen. These substances enter the bloodstream through the ca!illary networks in the skin. 5atches ha e been used to deli er a number of thera!eutic drugs in this manner. These include estrogen,

sco!olamine 'motion sickness(, nitroglycerin 'heart !roblems(, and nicotine 'for those trying to 7uit smoking(.