Integumentary System
Madison Roberts 2nd Period #17
System Functions
1. The skin Protects the body's internal living tissues and organs.
2. It protects from germs, dehydration, injury, and UV radiation.
3. The skin temporarily stores glucose, fat, water, and salt.
4. It manufactures vitamin D, which helps the digestive system absorb calcium.
5. The skin regulates body temperature.
Organs and Tissues
The three system organs are skin, hair, and nails. The three tissue layers are the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous layer (hypodermis). The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin. It provides a barrier and it creates our skin tones. The dermis contains a lot of sensory cells. It also includes blood vessels, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands. The hypodermis is made of fat and connective tissue. It is the storage site of most body fat.
Diseases and Infections
1. Athlete's foot - A fungal infection that grows on skin. It causes an itchy rash. This infection usually grows in moist dark places, like a foot inside a shoe.
2. Skin Cancer - The most common type of cancer. Associated with too much exposure to ultraviolet light. It can destroy tissue and can even cause death.
3. Contact Dermatitis - It causes redness, swelling, and itching. Contact Dermatitis is caused by an allergic substance making contact with the skin.
Treatments
There are special creams for Athlete's foot and Contact Dermatitis. Cancer is handled by doctors. The main doctor for skin diseases or infections are Dermatologists. There are also Estheticians, Cytologists, and Histotechnitians.