Histology of

Integument System

Alya Amila Fitrie, Radita NA Ginting

Department of Histology
Medical School, University of Sumatera Utara
2015 1
INTRODUCTION

• The integument is the largest

organ of the body,
16% of TBW.
• Presenting 1,2 – 2,3 m2 of
surface.
• Consists of : skin & epidermal
derivates (nails, hair and gland)

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INTRODUCTION

• The skin is of particular in a clinical

physical examination. For example,
the color of the skin → the
existence of pathologic condition.
• A yellow color → jaundice
• Blue → cyanosis
• Pale color → anemia
• Lack of skin pigmentation →
albinism
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INTRODUCTION

• Composed of :

Epidermis : an epithelial layer,

derived from ectoderm.

Dermis : a layer of connective

tissue, derived of mesoderm.

Hypodermis or subcutaneus :
corresponding to the superficial
fascia of gross anatomy
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INTRODUCTION

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Comparative thickness of the skin

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Comparative thickness of the skin

Thick skin in acral Thin skin in eyelid

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Comparative features of thick and thin
skin

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EPIDERMIS

• Consist mainly of
a stratified squamous
keratinized epithelium
→ keratinocytes.
• Three << abundant cell types :
1. Melanocytes : neural crest-derived cell
2. Langerhans cell : derived from bone marrow
precursor
3. Merkel’s cell : neural crest-derived cell 9
Five layers of keratin-producing cells
(keratinocytes) :

1. Stratum corneum
2. Stratum lucidum
3. Stratum granulosum
4. Stratum spinosum
5. Stratum basale
(stratum
germinativum)

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Stratum basale
(Stratum germinativum)
• Single layer of basophilic columnar or cuboidal
cell resting on basement membrane at the
dermal-epidermal junction.
• Desmosom (+), hemidesmosom (+)
• Stem cells → intense mitotic activity & is
responsible, in conjunction with the initial
portion of the next layer, for constant renewal of
epidermal cells.
• Human epidermis is renewed about every 15-30
days. 11
Stratum spinosum
• Consists of cuboidal or slighly
flattened cell, a central nucleus,
a cytoplasm’s processes :
bundles of keratin filaments, a
spine-studded appearance
(tonofilaments).
• The filaments :
– Maintaining cohesion among cells
– Resisting the effect of abrasion
• Stratum basale + stratum
spinosum = stratum Malpighi →
mitoses
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Stratum spinosum (cont.)

Stratum spinosum of the thick skin from sole of the

foot. Pararosaniline-toluidine blue. Medium magnification
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Stratum granulosum
• Consists of 3-5 layers of
flattened polygonal cells,
cytoplasm filled with
keratohyalin granules.
• The membrane-coated lamellar granules :
containing lamellar disks that are formed by
lipid bilayers. This granules : fuse with cell
membrane → discharge their contents →
intercellular spaces of stratum granulosum →
form of sheets containing lipid
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Stratum lusidum

• Translucent, thin layer

of flattened eosinophilic
epidermal cells.
• Organelles & nuclei (-)
• Cytoplasm : densely packed keratin
filaments
• Desmosom (+) between adjacent cells

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 Cornified envelope lipids
Stratum corneum
• Consists of 15-20 layers
of flattened nonnuclea-
ted keratinized cells.
• Cytoplasm :
a birerfringent filamentous
scleroprotein, keratin.
• After keratinization, the cells consist of only
fibrillar & amorphous proteins; & thickened
plasma membrane → horny cells or corneocyte

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Quiz

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The answer

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Melanocytes
• A specialized cell of the epidermis found
beneath or between the cells of the
stratum basale & in the hair follicles.
• Derived from neural crest cells.
• Hemidesmosom(+), desmosom (-)

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Melanocyte

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Melanogenesis

http://www.ambion.com/tools/pathway/loadImage.
php?pos=bl&im=images/Melanocyte%20Develop
ment%20and%20Pigmentation.jpg

• Tyrosinase is synthesized in the RER, accumulated in GoC → vesikel :

melanosom. Melanin synthesis in the melanosom II → melanosom III
→ melanin granules.
• Melanin granules migrates & transferred to the keratinocytes of the
malpighian layer.
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Melanocyte
• Melanin granules
accumulate in the
supranuclear region
of the cytoplasm →
protecting from
deleterious effects
of solar radiation.

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Langerhans Cells

• Star-shaped
• Location : stratum
spinosum
• Bone marrow-derived
• Important in immunologic skin
reaction :
• Have cell-surface Fc and C3
• Phagocytose and process foreign antigens
• Migrate to lymph node and present
epitopes to T lymphocytes
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Merkel’s Cells

• Generally in the thick

skin of palms and soles.
• Resemble the epidermal
epithelial cells, with
small dense granules in cytoplasm.
• Free nerve ending at the base 
mechanoreceptor
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Immunologic Activity in the Skin
• Its large size
• Lymphocytes >>>
• Antigen-presenting cells (APC)
• Close contacts with antigenic molecules

Epidermis has an important role in some

types of immune response
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DERMIS
• Dermis is connective tissue that
– Support epidermis
– Binds epidermis to hypodermis
• The thickness : varies
• The surface : irregular→ dermal
papillae >< epidermal ridges.
• Contains 2 layers :
– Papillary layer
– Reticular layer

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Papillary Layer
• Composed of :
– Loose connective tissue
– Fibroblasts
– Other connective tissue cells : mast cells &
macrophages
– Extravasated leukocytes
• Anchoring fibrils (+) : special collagen
fibrils

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Reticular Layer
• Composed of :
– Irregular dense connective tissue (type I
collagen)
– More fibers, fewer cells.
• Contains a network of fibers of elastic
system → responsible for the elasticity
of the skin. Thick section
of skin stained
for the fibers of
the elastic
fibers.
Weigert’s stain

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DERMIS (cont…)
• Rich network of blood & lymph vessels.
• Arteriovenous shunt → temperature
regulation.
• In addition, dermis contains : epidermal
derivatives :
– Hair follicle
– Sweat & sebaceous glands
– Nerves

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Subcutaneous Tissue

• Consists of loose connective tissue.

• Contain fat cells that vary in number &
size.
• Referred to superficial fascia , >>
panniculus adiposus
• Not a part of the skin

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Skin & Lymphatic Vessels
• The arterial vessels → 2 plexuses :
– between papillary – reticular layer
– between dermis – subcutaneous tissue
• The venous → 3 plexuses :
– Like arterial vessels + in the middle of the
dermis.
• Lymphatic vessels : begin as closed
sacs in the papillae of dermis → form
two plexuses.

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Skin Sensorial Receptors

• Free nerve endings

• The expanded :
– Ruffini endings
• The encapsulated :
– Vater-Pacini
– Meissner
– Krause.

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Meissner corpuscle

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Paccinian corpuscle

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GLANDS OF THE SKIN
• Sweat glands
– Eccrine
– Apocrine
• Sebaceous glands
• Mammary gland

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Sweat Gland
Ecrine (merocrine) Apocrine sweat
sweat gland gland

Found only in axilla, areola

Simple coiled tubular gland
nipple, anal region

Modified apocrine sweat glands

Throughout skin  important in
 ceruminous glands of ear,
regulation of body temperature
glands of moll in eyelids

Secretory unit  dark cells & Larger than eccrine, lumen of

clear cells secretory tubulus is larger
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Sweat Gland

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Sebaceous Gland

Secrete sebum  oily substance

Empty secretory product into the upper parts

of the hair follicles  Not found in palms of
hand, soles of feet, sides of feet inferior of
hairline

Clinically the sebaceous glands are important

in that they are liable to infections (e.g. with
the development of acne)
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Sebaceous Gland

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 HAIRS
Develop from epidermis
Elongated keratinized
& invade the dermis &
structure
hypodermis

Hairs grow
Everywhere except
discontinously  have
palms, sole, glans
periods of growth
penis, clitoris & labia
(anagen) followed by
minora
period of rest (telogen)

Hair in scalp, face &

In scalp : growth pubis strongly
period  several years, influenced by
rest period  3 months androgens, adrenal &
thyroid hormones

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Hair follicle

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NAILS
Highly keratinized
epithelial cells arranged
in plates of hard keratin

Develop from nail

matrix  nail root

Stratum corneum forms

eponychium or cuticle
 nail plate

Nail plate on nail bed

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Histology of Nail

• E=eponychium, H= hyponychium, N=nail plate,

DP=distal phalanx
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Histology of Nail

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References
• Junqueira, L.C. & Carneiro, J. Basic Histology, Text &
Atlas, 11th edition, Lange Medical Books McGraw-Hill.
2005
• Gartner, L.P. & Hiatt, J.L. Colour Textbook of
Histology, Third Edition. 2007
• Kierszenbaum AL. Histology & Cell Biology, An
Introduction to Pathology, 2nd ed. Mosby Elsevier.
2007
• Pakurar AS, Bigbee JW. Digital Histology, an
interactive CD atlas with review text, Wiley-Liss, 2004
• Berman I, Color Atlas of Basic Histology, Second
Edition, Lange, 1998.
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 Terima kasih….
Terima kasih…

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