Knowra Integumentary system Integumentary system The organ system comprising the skin and its derivatives, including hair, nails, and glands. It protects the body and contributes to sensation and temperature regulation.
Epidermis : The outermost layer of skin, made chiefly of keratin-producing cells and renewed continuously. Its tightly joined cells and surface lipids form the system’s outer barrier.
Stratum corneum : The outer epidermal layer of flattened, dead cells embedded in a lipid-rich matrix. This layer is the principal physical barrier against water loss and external substances.
Atopic dermatitis : A chronic inflammatory skin disease marked by itchy, dry, and relapsing skin lesions. Its impaired barrier illustrates the consequences of disrupted skin protection.
Mucous membrane : A moist epithelial lining that covers body surfaces opening to the exterior and lines internal passages. Unlike skin, it protects moist internal surfaces rather than forming the body’s dry outer covering.
Dermis : The connective-tissue layer beneath the epidermis, containing blood vessels, nerves, follicles, and glands. Its vessels and connective tissue support the epidermis and help regulate heat.
Cutaneous sensation : The detection of touch, pressure, vibration, temperature, and pain by receptors in the skin. Skin receptors turn contact and environmental changes into nerve signals.
Psoriasis : A chronic immune-mediated disease that causes sharply defined, scaly skin plaques. Rapid epidermal turnover makes this disease a distinctive disorder of skin renewal.
Hair : A filament of keratin produced by a follicle in the skin of mammals. Hair is a skin derivative, not a separate organ system.
Hypodermis : The layer of connective tissue and fat beneath the skin, connecting it to deeper structures. Its insulation and cushioning extend the skin’s protective functions.
Thermoregulation : The control of body temperature through physiological and behavioral responses. Skin blood flow and sweating help release or conserve body heat.
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