Integumentary System Research Paper

The skin is part of the Integumentary system and it is considered the largest organ in the human body. Among its functions, the skin serves as a barrier, body temperature regulator, and metabolic controler. This organ is composed of many parts such as glands, nerves, different tissues, and other important factors. Each component has a specific function for which it is responsible for.

The skin serves as a barrier by protecting our blood supply and other sensible parts from pathogens, outside threats, and physical damage. The epidermis outermost layer, or the stratum corneum, is not very thick, but is serves its purpose, which is keeping unwanted things out. This part of the skin is composed of keratinized stratified squamous epithelium tissue,

Humans have an average temperature of 98.6 Fahrenheit. This temperature is very important and the slightest change can cause a major homeostatic imbalance, for example, if my body temperature becomes too height or too low it can interfere with enzymes function, resulting in a decrease of rate in chemical reaction within body; consequently leading to death. The way that the skin maintains a stable temperature is by communicating with the nervous system and using its receptors and sweat glands. If receptor in the skin notice the temperature is getting too high they immediately tell the brain and the first response is vasodilation, widening of blood vessels, this response releases heat. Eccrine glands, sweat glands, are activated when the body is exposed to high temperatures. These glands release a fluid composed of water and salt that allows the body to cool down. We are constantly sweating, especially in Florida that is one of the reasons we need to hydrate our bodies and drink plenty of water to replace the lost fluids. In contrast, when the body is exposed to low temperatures the receptors react and the blood vessels constrict, or become smaller. Sweat glands also stop working and therefor, heat is kept inside the body. Likewise, muscles begin to involuntarily contract in order to produce heat and achieve