Integumentary System

Skin

The cutaneous membrane that covers the body and consists of various components.

Skin Appendages

Structures associated with the skin, including sweat glands, oil glands, hair, and nails.

Functions of Skin

Insulates and cushions organs, protects from various damages, aids in thermoregulation, excretion, and synthesizes Vitamin D.

Epidermis

The outer layer of skin composed of stratified squamous epithelium.

Dermis

The layer of skin beneath the epidermis that provides structural support.

Hypodermis

The subcutaneous layer that anchors skin to underlying organs and is composed mostly of adipose tissue.

Thermoregulation

The process by which the nervous system controls the loss and retention of body heat.

Keratinocytes

The most common cells in the epidermis that produce the fibrous protein keratin.

Avascular

Describes the epidermis, which lacks blood vessels.

Stratum Basale

The deepest layer of the epidermis where cells undergo mitosis and anchor to the dermis.

Stratum Spinosum

The layer where cells become flatter and more keratinized.

Stratum Granulosum

The layer filled with keratin where cells begin to die.

Stratum Lucidum

A layer found only in thick, hairless skin, formed from dead cells of deeper strata.

Stratum Corneum

The outermost layer of the epidermis, consisting of shingle-like dead cells filled with keratin.