INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
(SKIN & IT’S APPENDAGES)
Functions of Skin
Protection
Temperature Regulation
Excretion
Synthesis
Sensory Perception
Skin
Largest organ of the body
Two Layers
Epidermis
Dermis
Appendages of Skin
Hairs
Nails
Sebaceous Glands
Sweat Glands
Epidermis
Uppermost layer of the skin
Microscopically consists of five layers
Stratum Corneum (Keratinized)
Stratum Lucidum
Stratum Granulosum
Stratam Spinosum
Stratam basale
Epidermis (Cont.)
No blood Vessels
Obtains its nourishment and oxygen by diffusion
from dermis
Deeper layer of epidermis contains
Melanocytes (Determines the colour of the skin)
Dermis
Thick layer of dense connective tissue
Superficial papillary and deep reticular layer
Contains abundant blood vessels, nerves and
nerve endings
Lodges hair follicles, sebaceous and sweat glands
Epidermis
Self replacing stratified squamous epithelium
Consists of four types of cells
1. Keratinocytes
2. Melanocytes
3. Langerhans Cells
4. Merkel Cells
Layers of the Epidermis
Stratum Basale
Stratum Spinosum
Stratum Granulosum
Stratum Lucidum
Stratum Corneum
Stratum Basale (St Germinativum)
Single layer of basophilic cuboidal or low columnar
cells
Cells are keratinocytes resting on basement membrane
(some merkel cells and melanocytes)
Long oval nucleus, cell junction are frequent
Cytoplasm contain keratin intermediate filaments
called tonofilaments
Characterized by numerous mitotic figures
Stratum Spinosum
Consists of several layers of irregular polyhedral
keratinocytes
Towards surface cells become flattened
Cells bear numerous cytoplasmic projections called
“spines”
Spines are joined by desmosomes
Cytoplasm contain radiating tonofibrils and lamellar
bodies
St Basale + St spinosum = Malphigian layer
Stratum Granulosum
Consists of 3-5 layers of flattened rhomboid cells
Long axis parallel to surface of skin
Cytoplasm contain keratohyaline granules (proteins)
These proteins promote aggregation of tonofilaments
into tonofibrils
Keratinocytes moving up gradually show degenerative
changes
Stratum Lucidum
Apparent only in the skin of palm and sole
Thin translucent zone
Composed of 3-5 layers of closely packed flat
eosinophilic cells
Densely packed with keratin filaments
Stratum Corneum
Many layers of flattened keratinized cells
Corneocytes
Cells are devoid of nuclei and organelles
Keratin is present as bundles of intermediate
filaments embedded in dense amorphous matrix
Thickness varies in different parts of the body i.e.
thick and thin skin
Deep layer has desmosomes while superficial layers
loose cell junctions
Stratum corneum
Stratum lucidum
Stratum
Stratum
granulosum
spinosum
Stratum
basale
Dermis
Sheet of connective tissue that supports the epidermis
and binds it to subcutaneous tissue
Thickness varies from 0.5mm to 3mm
It lodges the appendages of the skin
It is composed of two layers
Papillary layer
Reticular layer
Papillary layer
Consists of dermal papillae protruding into the
epidermis
Thin layer of loose connective tissue composed of
reticular, collagen and elastic fibres
Special fibrils e.g anchoring fibrils bind the epidermis
to the dermis
Dermal papillae interdigitate with epidermal ridges
Richly vascular layers containing sensory receptors
(missner’s corpuscles)
Reticular Layer
Thick layer consisting of dense irregular connective
tissue
Less cellular than the papillary layer. The cell include
fibroblasts, mast cells, macrophages, t-lymphocytes
Sensory receptors including pacinian corpuscles and
ruffini’s are also present
Scatered smooth muscle fibres are also found in the
deeper parts of the raticular layer
Cells of Epidermis
1. Keratinocytes
2. Melanocytes
3. Langerhans Cells
4. Merkel Cells
Keratinocytes
Consists principle cells of epidermis
Constant renewal through continuous mitotic division
in basal layer
Moves away from the basement and undergo
progressive changes in size, shape and content
Transform from cuboidal living cells to dead flat cells
The cytoplasm is full of Keratin
Keratinocytes
When keratinocytes leave stratum basale:
No. of keratin filaments increases, forming bundles
called tonofibrils
Mature keratinocytes contain Keratin up to 85% of the
cell volume
In the stratum spinosum the keratinocytes form
membrane bound granules called membrane coating
granules or lamillar bodies
Melanocytes
Satellite cells with oval bodies and long dendritic
processes
Found scattered between the keratinocytes
Melanocytes synthesize brownish black pigment
called melanin
They protect the skin from harmful effect of EM
radiation
Visible by special stains
Langerhans Cells
Located mainly in the stratum spinosum
Visible only with special staining techniques
Each cell contain many dendritic processes
The cytoplasm of LC’s contain many lysosomes and
small number of mitochondria and RER
Part of mononuclear phagocytic system
They take part in cell mediated immune response
Merkel Cells
Found scattered among the cells of stratum basale
Occur as the single cell with long axis parallel to the
basal lamina of the epidermis
Small processes extend between the overlying
keratinocytes
Merkel cells are associated with expanded disc like
terminals of sensory nerve fibers
Combination of the terminal of an axon and merkel
cell forms merkel corpuscle
Functions of Merkel Cells
Merkel cell-neurite complex serve as
mechanoreceptors
Part of DNES
Abundant in highly perceptive sensory areas e.g.
Finger tips
