The Body: The Natural Covering Of The Human Body

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Recommended: Terms and functions of the integumentary system

Integument simply means the natural covering of the body and it is made up of skin, hair, and nails. Not only is the skin the largest organ in the body but it is also the most visible organ system. Its purpose is to shield the human body from substances in the outside world that could be harmful. The skin is also the only thing that is double the weight of the brain or liver.
There are four functions of the integumentary system: sensation, protection, thermoregulation, and secretion. Sensation detect changes in the external environment for temperature and pressure. Temperature produces the sensations of hot and cold. Pressure allows us to translate extreme pressure that results in the feeling of pain. Protection of the skin is an elastic resistant covering which prevents passage of harmful physical and chemical agents. The melanin produced by the melanocytes in the stratum germinativum protects us from the harms of UV rays. Keratin waterproofs the body which allows the handling of household chemicals, such as swimming in pool or taking a shower, to not be so disastrous to the underlying cells of the body.
The skin forms a protective barrier but allows certain substances to pass through it
The epidermis is the outer layer, and the dermis is the inner layer. Underneath the dermis is the subcutaneous layer which is composed of fatty tissue allowing it to anchor the skin to the underlying muscles. The epidermis is made of flaky epithelial tissue. The epidermis can be divided into four or five layers but the most important of them are the inner and outer layers. The inner layer is the only layer of the epidermis that receives nutrients. The cells of this layer called basal cells which produce keratin. Another type of cell found in the lower dermis is the melanocyte which produce melanin, a protein pigment that ranges in color from yellow to brown to black. Hair, sweat glands are all rooted in the

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