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,

dead cells, which do not contain any nuclei. Between theses dead cells is a protein called keratin that makes our skin waterproof, it is also found in hair and nails. Thanks to keratin we usually do not lose or gain liquid through our skin, with the exception of some chemicals.
Chemical damage can be fatal, therefore, it is very important that the skin plays its role by using its tools against chemical threats. Acid mantles, for example, act as berries by stopping pathogens and foreign bacteria from getting to our blood vessels, or infecting the blood supply. Furthermore, skin cells contain natural antibiotics known as defensins that are very effective at killing bacteria. Melanin is also an important component of the skin. Melanin is responsible for absorbing sun light, or UV light, which can be damaging to the skin and potentially cause cancer to it. Darker individuals have more melanin in their epidermis because at one point in time their ancestors lived along the Equator, or a location with high temperatures, therefore; their skin had to absorb a greater quantity of light in order for them to survive. In contrast, lighter individuals have lower amounts of melanin because they tend to have come from cold environments.
Dendritic cells serve as the biological guards that protect us from pathogens. This cell originate in the bone marrow and travel to the epidermis. Dendritic cells are particularly important because they have the ability to inform the Immune System when foreign substances try to infiltrate the skin. In addition to, macrophages are white blood cells that are hungry for bacteria. Macrophages form part of the immune system and their job is to find bacteria located in unwanted places of the skin and eat them. Another tool that serves as a biological barrier in the skin is DNA itself. The electrons in DNA are able to absorb the UV light and pass it to the nuclei, as a result the nuclei shakes really fast and turns the harmful UV light into innocent heat.
The skin also has the ability to regulate the body temperature.

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

homeostasis.
The skin has yet, another ability it has metabolic functions that promote efficient operation of itself and the organism as a whole. I like to think of the skin as a huge solar panel; just like solar panels absorb energy from the sun and converted it to electricity- the skin is able to behave similarly and take in UV light to fuel its Vitamin D production. This vitamin is produced within the layers of the epidermis by the interaction between sun light and cholesterol. Vitamin D is important for the function of other organs in the body. It is specially involve with the skeletal system because it absorbs the calcium from the digestive system and help make our bones well and healthy. The glands in the skin, such as, Eccrine glands are responsible for making fluids that may contain antibiotic properties.
These are just some of the functions of the skin. This organ is very important in all organisms. For this reason, we should take better care of it and protect ourselves from harmful UV light by using available products, such as, sun screen and lotions.