Integumentary system

Integumentary System

The Integumentary System (pronunciation: in-teg-yuh-men-tuh-ree) is the organ system that protects the body from various kinds of damage, such as loss of water or abrasion from outside. The system comprises the skin and its appendages (including hair, scales, feathers, hooves, and nails). The integumentary system has a variety of functions; it may serve to waterproof, cushion, and protect the deeper tissues, excrete wastes, and regulate temperature, and is the attachment site for sensory receptors to detect pain, sensation, pressure, and temperature.

Etymology

The term "integument" is derived from the Latin word integumentum, which means a covering. The term system is derived from the Latin word systema, which means a whole compounded of several parts or members.

Related Terms

Epidermis: The outermost layer of the skin.
Dermis: The layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain.
Hypodermis: Also known as subcutaneous tissue, it is the deepest layer of the skin, containing fat and connective tissues along with large blood vessels and nerves.
Keratin: A type of protein that is a key structural material making up the outer layer of human skin.
Melanin: The pigment that gives human skin, hair, and eyes their color.
Sebaceous Glands: Small oil-producing glands present in the skin of mammals.
Sweat Glands: The glands that produce sweat, located in the dermis of the skin.
Hair Follicles: The part of the skin that grows hair by packing old cells together.