Integument System

Synonyms

dermal system

Description

The integumentary system is the organ system that protects the body from damage, comprising the skin and its appendages (including hair, scales, feathers, and nails). The integumentary system has a variety of functions; it may serve to waterproof, cushion, and protect the deeper tissues, excrete wastes, and regulate temperature, and is the attachment site for sensory receptors to detect pain, sensation, pressure, and temperature. In most terrestrial vertebrates with significant exposure to sunlight, the integumentary system also provides for vitamin D synthesis [Source: Wikipedia].

Structure

Changes associated with this tissue

Due to the potentially large amount of high-throughput molecular changes these have been excluded below. You can view the full list of 1601 changes through the filter results page.

Physiological (25) View on results page

Atrophy of hypodermal layer Attenuated vasoconstriction response to cold Change in weave of dermis collagen fibers Changes in glycosaminoglycan/proteoglycan Changes to dermis collagen fiber bundles Changes to elastin fibers in lower dermis Decline in epidermis keratinocyte turnover Decreased ability to modulate heat loss Decreased amounts of collagen IV and VII, and abnormal elastin in dermis Decreased/disorganized fibril network of dermis Decreased function of epithelial barriers Decrease in dermal papillae density Depletion of hair follicle melanocytes Dermal collagen atrophies Elastin fibers lost from upper layers of dermis Epidermis held less tightly to dermis Hair greying Loss of smooth padding provided by hypodermal fat cells Loss of subcutaneous adipose skin layer Male baldness Microvascular alterations in arterioles, capillaries, and venules in dermis/hypodermis Skin thinning Sweating capacity decreases Telomere shortening Wrinkles

Molecular (4; 1570 in total) View on results page

Changes from high-throughput approaches are excluded but can be viewed on the results page.

DNA damage increases with age Higher oxidation and decreased proteasome activity Lipid oxidation increased with age in males NAD(+) levels decrease with age

Pathological (2) View on results page

Acute rheumatic fever and chronic rheumatic heart diseases Skin cancer