Integumentary System

The Integumentary System

The Integumentary System, consisting of the skin, hair and nails, act as a barrier to protect the body from the outside world. It also has several other functions in the body. The word INTEGUMENT comes from a Latin word that means to cover. The most important function of the integumentary system is protection. This system 1) serves as a barrier against infection and injury, 2) helps to regulate and maintain body temperature, 3) removes waste products from the body, 4) provides protection against the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, and 5) produces vitamin D for the body.

The skin is a protective covering, also the largest organ in our body. It is composed of an epidermis and a dermis separated by a basement membrane. A subcutaneous layer, not part of the skin, lies beneath the dermis. The skin houses several different types of glands such as sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and apocrine glands.

Nails