Integumentary system

organ system that protects the body comprising the skin and its appendages (including hair, scales, feathers, hooves, and nails)

The integumentary system is everything covering the outside of an animal's body. This account is written mostly with people in mind, but it applies more widely.

The integument means skin, hair, scales, nails, sweat glands and their products (sweat and mucus). The name comes from the Latin integumentum, which means 'a covering'.

The integumentary systemEdit

Skin, hair, scales, feathers and nails make up the integumentary system.


There are two layers of skin:

  1. Epidermis - This is the top layer of the skin and is made of dead cells. The cells are shed all the time, but new ones are always being made, so people never lose any skin. It has sweat pores.
  2. Dermis - This is the second layer of skin. It has touch receptors, and oil and sweat glands. It makes skin stretchy.
  3. Subcutaneous tissue (The subcutaneous tissue is not part of the skin, but it is in the integumentary system)


There are four types of glands


The integumentary system has lots of different functions. It:


Here is a list of skin problems:

There are other skin problems that are less common.


  • Kardong, Kenneth V. 1998. Vertebrates: comparative anatomy, function, evolution. McGraw-Hill.[1] IBSN 0-07-115356-X/0-697-28654-1

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