Integumentary System

Integumentary System

1. Skin, hair, sweat glands and nails.

   • Skin: Barrier that covers our body, protects us from the entry of pathogens (microorganisms) and protects us from ultraviolet radiation.
     • Largest organ of the human body. Is the 10% of the total body weight.
       • Functions of the skin:
         • Mechanical protection, biological protection, regulation of body temperature, sense perception, hydroelectric regulation, synthesis of vitain D and immunological function.
     • Thick and thin skin
       • Thick is found only in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.
       • Thin is the one that covers most of the body.
     • The most superficial layer of the skin that is in contact with the environment is the epidermis.
       • 4 types of cells in the epidermis
         • Keratinocytes, melanocytes, langerhans cells and merkel cells.
       • Bellow the epidermis is the dermis.
         • 1. Papillary dermis and 2. reticular dermis.
     • Pilosebaceous Complex: Hair follices give origen to the hairs distributed throughout the skin.
     • Sweat glands:
       • Eccrine sweat: They produce sweat when the ambient temperature increases.
       • Apocrine sweat glands: Larger than the eccrine sweat and are connected to hair follices.
     • Hair and nails.
       • Hair mantains its body heat and provides the skull with shock protection.
         • Nails protects the sensitive ends of the fingers and toes.

2. Immunological organ

   • Provides a suitable microenvironment to fight infections.

3. Diseases: Acne and skin cancer.