The integumentary system is the bodys outermost layer.
It also helps retain bodily fluids, eliminate waste products, andregulate body temperature.
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What Makes Up the Integumentary System?
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The integumentary system includes:
Skin
The skin is the largest and heaviest organ of the body.
The skin is approximately 2 mm (0.079 inches) thick and in its entirety weighs nearly 6 pounds.
Hair also has a bio-psycho-social function, influencing how we interact with others.
The four exocrine glands associated with the integumentary system include:
What Does the Integumentary System Do?
Many different types of microorganisms encounter the skin, but these organisms are not able to penetrate healthy skin.
This may trigger the skins inflammatory response.
The inflammatory response prompts the transportation of white blood cells and other cellscalled macrophagesthat engulf the invading organisms.
The inflammatory response may be associated with skin swelling, warmth, pain, and redness or discoloration.
The skin responds to UV rays by producing the pigment melanin in cells called melanocytes.
However melanin may not prevent all damage to cellular DNA.
When the vessels constrict, heat is retained.
This process lends itself to the regulation of the bodys core temperature.
The dermis contains nerve endings and an array of touch receptors.
This allows the dermis to detect sensations such as pressure, heat, cold, and contact.
Nervous System
The skin functions to transmit sensations from the environment via its nerve receptors.
Musculoskeletal System
Vitamin D synthesiswhich takes place in the skinpromotes calcium absorption.
Calcium is needed for the growth and maintenance of bones, as well as for muscle contractions.
Endocrine System
The endocrine system involves the bodys hormones.
Vitamin Dproduced by the skincan act as a hormone in the body.
Some hormone imbalances can have an adverse effect on the skin.
What Conditions Affect the Integumentary System?
Some of these conditions include:
Summary
The integumentary system is the outermost layer of your body.
It includes the skin, hair, nails, glands, and sensory nerves.
The integumentary system works together with the bodys other systems to maintain homeostasis.
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