module 1.3 integumentary system

• integumentary system

  • composed of skin, and its accessory structure, hair, nails, glands, muscle and nerves

  dermatology - medical specialty that deals with structure, function, and disorders of integumentary system

  dermatologist - the person, physician that specializes in dealing with skin issues in patients

  skin - aka cutaneous membrane, covers external surface of the body
• function of the skin

  thermoregulation

  • adjusting blood flow in dermis
  • sweat production/limitation
• high environmental regulation

  • sweat production is promoted as the evaporation of it cools down the body
  • vasodilation - expands blood vessel to promote more blood to flow, making heat easy to be released
• low environmental regulation

  response - vasoconstriction (promotes heat reservation as few blood travels in the dermis, limitation of sweat
• drugs involved in thermoregulation of integ

  • anti pyretic (COX inhibitor) - inhibits cox 2 (involved in increasing temp which produces swelling and inflammation), body temp does not increase
• blood reservoir

  • dermis houses blood vessels which carry 8-10% of blood in adult