Role of the integumentary system in protecting the body
Introduction Human body, like all higher order vertebrates, relies on multiple organ systems for maintenance of homeostasis, the integumentary system is but one of them. Anatomically, the integumentary system has two components :the cutaneous membrane(the skin) and its accessory structures. The skin comprises of the dermis and epidermis whereas the later include hair, nails, and exocrine glands located in the dermis. Interestingly, both the cutaneous and accessory structures share a common embryological origin: The ectoderm (Martini 2005, p.151). With respect to functioning, the skin is involved in a variety of physiologic functions, the most obvious being protection of the ...
