Integumentary System and Thermoregulation

Flashcards covering skin functions, cutaneous sensations, and thermoregulation pathways based on lecture notes.

What protective functions does the skin serve according to the notes?

It acts as a physical and biological barrier against pathogens, UV radiation, and water loss.

What types of stimuli are detected through cutaneous sensation?

Cutaneous sensation detects touch, pressure, vibration, and temperature.

Besides protection and cutaneous sensation, what two additional functions of the skin are listed in the notes?

Vitamin D synthesis and excretion.

What is the role of the hypothalamus in thermoregulation?

The hypothalamus receives signals from thermoreceptors and co-ordinates the body's heating and cooling response.

What is the general sequence of the response pathway from a stimulus to a reaction response?

Stimulus -> Sensory nerve / Receptor -> Control center (brain or spinal cord) -> Effector -> Reaction Response.

In the thermoregulation pathway, what are the effector and reaction response when the body is too hot?

The effector is the sweat glands, and the reaction response is sweating.

What process occurs when the body gets too cold?

The temperature change is detected by a sensory nerve, and the control center sends electrical impulses via motor neurones to the muscles, causing shivering and hair to stand up.