Kevondre Wesley

Integumentary System Lab Report

Intro Paragraph
The integumentary system is an organ system consisting of the skin, hair, nails, and
exocrine glands. The skin is only a few millimeters thick yet is by far the largest organ in the
body. The average persons skin weighs 10 pounds and has a surface area of almost 20 square
feet. Skin forms the bodys outer covering and forms a barrier to protect the body from
chemicals, disease, UV light, and physical damage. Hair and nails extend from the skin to
reinforce the skin and protect it from environmental damage.
The epidermis is the most superficial layer of the skin that covers almost the entire body
surface. The epidermis rests upon and protects the deeper and thicker dermis layer of the skin.
Structurally, the epidermis is only about a tenth of a millimeter thick but is made of 40 to 50
rows of stacked squamous epithelial cells. The epidermis is an avascular region of the body,
meaning that it does not contain any blood or blood vessels. The cells of the epidermis receive all
of their nutrients via diffusion of fluids from the dermis. It is made of several specialized types of
cells. Almost 90% of the epidermis is made of cells known as keratinocytes. Keratinocytes
develop from stem cells at the base of the epidermis and begin to produce and store the protein
keratin. Keratin makes the keratinocytes very tough, scaly and water-resistant. At about 8% of
epidermal cells, melanocytes form the second most numerous cell type in the epidermis.
Melanocytes produce the pigment melanin to protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation and
sunburn.
The dermis is the deep layer of the skin found under the epidermis. The dermis is mostly
made of dense irregular connective tissue along with nervous tissue, blood, and blood vessels.
The dermis is much thicker than the epidermis and gives the skin its strength and elasticity.
Within the dermis there are two distinct regions: the papillary layer and the reticular layer. The
papillary layer is the superficial layer of the dermis that borders on the epidermis. The papillary
layer contains many finger-like extensions called dermal papillae that protrude superficially
towards the epidermis. The dermal papillae increase the surface area of the dermis and contain
many nerves and blood vessels that are projected toward the surface of the skin. Blood flowing
through the dermal papillae provide nutrients and oxygen for the cells of the epidermis. The
nerves of the dermal papillae are used to feel touch, pain, and temperature through the cells of
the epidermis.
Deep to the dermis is a layer of loose connective tissues known as the hypodermis,
subcutis, or subcutaneous tissue. The hypodermis serves as the flexible connection between the
skin and the underlying muscles and bones as well as a fat storage area, and connective tissue in
the hypodermis contains elastin and collagen fibers loosely arranged to allow the skin to stretch
and move independently of its underlying structures. Fatty adipose tissue in the hypodermis
stores energy in the form of triglycerides. Adipose also helps to insulate the body by trapping
body heat produced by the underlying muscles.
Skin Histology picture Figure 01:

The structural organization of the epidermis varies from region to region. It is thickest on
the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, where it may be 0.8 - 1.4 mm thick. In
most areas only four layers are distinguishable. They are the stratum basale, which is the
deepest layer; the stratum spinosum; the stratum granulosum; and the stratum corneum, a
fully keratinized outermost layer. An additional layer, the stratum lucidum is in the
thickened skin of the palms and soles. The cells of these layers change shape as they are
pushed toward the surface.
Eccrine Sweat Gland Density Figure 02: When the body temperature rises, the
sympathetic nervous system stimulates the eccrine sweat glands to secrete water to the
skin surface, where it cools the body by evaporation. Thus, eccrine sweat is an
important mechanism for temperature control. In figure 02 these are the results of the
sweat gland density from our individual selves compared with the class numbers of
different parts of the body such as the forearm, hand, neck, and index finger.
Skin Temperature Recovery Data Figure 04: There were dramatic conclusions to be
made about the skin temperature change through various situations, but in this case Ice
was the difference that was made throughout the lab. Each body part had its differences
in temperature simply because of the blood flow that was either extended or decreased
by a very large amount.
Touch Receptors two point discrimination lab results Figure 05: Touch receptors are the
nerve cells that tell your brain about tactile sensations. There are several types of touch
receptors, but they can be divided into two groups number 1 mechanoreceptors that tell
you about sensations of pushing, pulling or movement, and number 2 thermoreceptors
that tell you about sensations of temperature. In this graph explains the amount of touch
receptors I have from smallest to biggest in different areas of my body.
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Case Study Infographic Figure 06:
The most dangerous form of skin cancer, these cancerous growths develop when
unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from
sunshine or tanning beds triggers mutations , also known as genetic defects that lead
the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors. These tumors originate in
the pigment-producing melanocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis. In this case
study I briefly explained information on melanoma and all the different data found.