LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY

ZOO 102: ORGANIZATION OF MAMMALIAN

BODY

TOPIC
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

Giwa, A.O
September 2018
 INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
• The skin and associated structures
(hair, nails, cutaneous glands etc)
make up the integumentary system
• The skin is a mammals’ largest
organ.
• The skin is the most vulnerable
organ (exposed to radiation,
trauma, infection and injurious
chemicals)
 PROPERTIES
• Skin thickness ranges from 0.5 – 6mm
- Thick skin covers front of hands,
bottom of feet; has sweat glands, but
no hair follicles or subcutaneous (oil)
glands
- Thin skin covers rest of the body;
possesses hair follicles, sebacous
glands and sweat glands
• Tough and resilient
• Waterproof
 FUNCTION
• Resistance to trauma and infection
• Other barrier functions; water, UV radiation,
harmful chemicals.
• Vitamin D synthesis (skin carries out the 1 st
step)
• Sensation (Receptors for temperature, touch
pain and more)
• Thermoregulation
• Skin derivative provides nourishment for the
young
• Non verbal communication (facial
expression)
 STRUCTURE
• Two parts:

• Outer Part :- Epidermis :

Ectodermal in origin.
• Inner Part :- Dermis :- Mesodermal
in origin.

• So, complete skin is ecto-

mesodermal in origin
 EPIDERMIS
• Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium

• Includes dead cells at skin surface packed

with tough keratin protein

• Lacks blood vessels (depends on the

diffusion of nutrients from underlying
connective tissue)

• Contains sparse nerve endings for touch

and pain.
 CELLS OF THE EPIDERMIS
• Five types:

1. Stem cells: undifferentiated cells that

give rise to keratinocytes. In deepest
layer of epidermis (stratum basale)

2. Keratinocytes: makes up great majority

of epidermal cells. Synthesizes keratin.
Are produced by mitosis of stem cells in
stratum basale or mitosis of keratinocytes
in deepest part of stratum spinosum.
 CELLS OF THE EPIDERMIS
3. Melanocytes: synthesize pigment
melanin that shields DNA from ultraviolet
radiation. Occur only in stratum basale
but have branched processes that spread
among keratinocytes and distribute
melanin

4. Tactile cells: touch receptor cells

associated with dermal nerve fibers. In
basal layer of epidermis
 LAYERS OF THE EPIDERMIS
Stratum basale
- Deepest epidermal layer
- A single layer of stem cells and keratinocytes
resting on the basement membrane
- Also contains a few melanocytes and tactile
cells.
- Single layer of cuboidal to columnar shaped
cells.
Stratum spinosum
- Several layers of keratinocytes joined together
by desmosomes and tight junctions
- Also contains some dendritic cells.
Stratum granulosum
- 3 to 5 layers of flat keratinocytes
- Cells contain dark staining keratohyalin
granules.
Stratum lucidum
- Thin, pale layer found only in thick skin
- Keratinocytes packed with clear protein
eleidin
Stratum corneum (surface layer)
- Several layers (up to 30) of dead, scaly
keratinized cells.
- Resists abrasion, penetration, water loss.
 Extra points
• Thickest Stratum corneum is
seen on sole and palm
• Thinnest Stratum corneum on
lips
• Thinnest epidermis is seen on
conjuctiva of eye
• Thickest epidermis is seen on
sole and palm.
• Thickened portions of the
epidermis form the pads on the
 DERMIS
• The dermis lies below the epidermis
• It is a thick layer of connective tissue with
associated muscles, nerves and blood
vessels.
• The connective tissue consists largely of
collagen fibers which gives the skin much
of its elasticity and strength.
• Ranges from 0.2mm (eyelids) to 4mm
(palms, soles)
• Unlike the epidermis, the dermis is well
supplied with blood vessels and nerves for
sensation of touch, pressure, temperature
 LAYERS OF THE DERMIS
• Papillary layer: superficial zone of
dermis

- Thin zone of areola tissue in and near

the dermal papilla
- Allows for mobility of leukocytes and
other defense cells
- Rich in small blood vessel.

• Reticular layer: deeper and thicker layer

of dermis
 DERIVATIVES OF SKIN
HAIR
• Generally hair is a uniquely mammalian
feature. Even whales have rudimentary
hairs here and there
• A slender filament of keratinized cells
growing from a tube in the skin called a hair
follicle.
• Covers most of the body; does not cover
palms, soles, lips, nipples and parts of
genitals.
• Is divisible into 3 zones along its length.
- Bulb: a swelling at the base where hair
 HAIR (CONTD)
• The pelage (or coat) we usually see is the body hair or
guard hair.
• There are 3 different types of guard hair
• Guard hairs are frequently long, stiff hairs; they serve
mostly for protection.
• Bristles; the manes of lions and horses are bristles
• In certain mammal, hairs are so stout and strong that
they from spines as in hedgehogs and porcupines
• Third type which is most common is awns.
• Special tactile hairs, the vibrissae are fund not only on
a mammals’ face but may occur also on the legs or
elsewhere on the body. Nerves at the base of vibrissae
communicate response to the brain. Vibrissae are
especially prominent on the muzzles of nocturnal and
burrowing animals. Humans don’t have vibrissae.
 FUNCTIONS OF HAIR
• Protect against sunburn

• Guard hairs (vibrissae); guard nostrils and ear

canals

• Pubic hair signify sexual maturity and in

transmission of sexual scents

• Non verbal communication (eye lashes and

eye brows)

• Insulation, camouflage, sex recognition, social

purposes.
Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
Vibrissae
 NAILS

• Nails are
clear, hard
derivatives
of stratum
corneum.
• Composed
of thin,
dead cells
packed with
hard keratin
 CUTANEOUS GLANDS

Sweat and sebaceous glands are the

main cutaneous glands. The rest are
modifications of these glands.
 SWEAT GLANDS
• Occur only in mammals
• Are coiled tubes in the dermis
connected with the surface by narrow
ducts.
• They are well supplied with blood
vessels, secrete mostly water and salts
and function largely in
thermoregulation.
• In sweat, more than 99% is water and
in rest part, urea, uric acid, ammonium
chloride and sodium chloride salts
•
 SWEAT GLANDS
ECCRINE SWEAT GLAND
• Secrete water through pores directly to
the skin surface
• Used for evaporative cooling of the body
• Over most of body in mammals.
• Mainly on pads of paws or lip margins in
‘panting’ animals e.g dogs, cats, cattle,
sheep.
• Small mammals (e.g rodents) often lack
eccrine gland (can’t stand much water
loss)
• Also secrete lysozyme which digests
 Apocrine SG
• Associated with and secrete into hair follicles

• Include fatty substances in released material

• Used to secrete pheromones by many

mammals

• In humans: concentrated in armpits, pubic

region, skin around lips, nipples, skin around
anus.
 SEBACEOUS GLANDS
• Oil glands.
• In mammals, empty into hair follicles
• Secretion called sebum: a mixture of fats and
cellular debris
• Secrete oily substance that continually
lubricate and condition skin and hair.
• Sebum makes beavers waterproof and prevents
undue drying of pelage of terrestrial mammals.
• SG are absent in sole and palm.
• They are maximum on fore head and face
• In whale and seal sebaceous glands are
completely absent.
 MAMMARY GLAND
• Milk producing glands that develop
only during pregnancy and lactation
• Modified apocrine sweat glands

• Rich secretion released through

ducts opening at nipple.
• 2 rows of mammary glands in most
mammals

• Primates kept only 2 glands but a few

people have additional nipples along
 Ceruminous gland
• Modified sweat glands
• Found in external auditory canal.
• Simple coiled tubular gland in external ear
canal.
• Their secretion combines with sebum and dead
epithelial cells to form ear wax (cerumen)
• Ear wax keeps ear drum pliable, waterproofs
the canal, kills bacteria, makes guard hairs of
ear sticky to help block foreign particles from
entering auditory canal.
• Cerumen prevent entry of insects and dust
particles in auditory canal and protect eardrum.
 Horns and antlers
• Are found today only in 2 mammalian orders:
Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla.
• True horns are found only in the family Bovidae
(order artiodactyla). True horns are always
unbranched and permanent and are composed of
2 parts: the bony horncore and the horn itself
• Antlers are only found in the family cervidae
(artiodactyla).
• Antlers are present only in males except for
female Caribou (reindeer) in the genus Rangifer.
• Scales are protective epidermal thickening of skin
made of keratinized cells e.g in pangolin, beavers.
• Claws, hooves etc.
END