Human Anatomy and Physiology - The Integumentary System

Flashcards covering the structure and function of the integumentary system.

What are the components of the integumentary system?

Skin, hair, nails, sweat glands, and sebaceous (oil) glands.

What are the two distinct regions of the skin?

Epidermis and dermis.

What type of tissue makes up the epidermis?

Epithelial tissue.

What type of tissue primarily composes the dermis?

Fibrous connective tissue.

What is the hypodermis primarily composed of?

Adipose tissue.

What is the main cell type found in the epidermis?

Keratinocytes.

What protein do keratinocytes produce?

Fibrous keratin.

What is the function of melanin?

To protect the nucleus from UV damage

Which epidermal cells are star-shaped macrophages that patrol the deep epidermis?

Dendritic (Langerhans) cells.

What are the sensory receptors that sense touch in the epidermis?

Tactile (Merkel) cells.

What are the layers of the epidermis from deepest to superficial?

Stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum, and stratum corneum.

Which layer of the epidermis is only found in thick skin?

Stratum lucidum.

Which epidermal layer is also known as the stratum germinativum?

Stratum basale.

What type of cells are abundant in the stratum spinosum?

Melanosomes and dendritic cells.

What is the function of lamellar granules accumulated in the Stratum granulosum?

Slow water loss

What process do cells undergo as they move through the epidermis?

Apoptosis (controlled cell death).

What is the dermis primarily composed of?

Strong, flexible connective tissue.

What cells are found in the dermis?

Fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, and white blood cells.

What are the two layers of the dermis?

Papillary and reticular.

What type of tissue is the papillary layer composed of?

Areolar connective tissue.

What do dermal papillae contain?

Capillary loops, free nerve endings, and touch receptors (tactile corpuscles/Meissner’s corpuscles).

What is the reticular layer primarily composed of?

Dense fibrous connective tissue.

What causes cleavage (tension) lines in the reticular layer?

Collagen fibers running parallel to the skin surface.

What causes flexure lines?

Dermal folds at or near joints due to the dermis being tightly secured to deeper structures.

What three pigments contribute to skin color?

Melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin.

What amino acid is melanin made from?

Tyrosine.

What does hair consist of?

Dead keratinized cells.

Where are hairs produced?

Hair follicles.

What are the functions of eccrine sweat glands?

Thermoregulation

What are the types of sweat glands?

Eccrine (merocrine) and apocrine.