Activity 6 Integumentary System

Objectives:
At the end of this activity the student is expected to:
1. Identify the different layers of the skin and cellular components in tissue preparations under the microscope.
2. Recognize the integumentary histologic features and the association of the fundamental tissues in the integumentary system.
3. Determine the role of integumentary structures in maintaining the skins integrity and relate it to their medical significance.

Materials:
Microscope, immersion oil, lens paper, cotton, xylene
Prepared slides: human

Procedure:
a. Human brown skin: Epidermal layer
Focus on the epidermal layer of the skin under the LPO.
Look for the following structures:
Stratum corneum the outermost layer containing dead and dying cells. The cells are flattened, devoid of nuclei and other organelles and
are filled with keratin.
Stratum lucidum a thin pale layer of keratin, which the cells have accumulated upon maturity and are seen only when the stratum corneum
is very thick.
Stratum granulosum layer of cells with basophilic granules.
Stratum spinosum - layer of prickle cells, which are large and polyhedral in shape.
Stratum basale layer of cuboidal or low columnar forms with mitotic figures most frequently observed.
Dermal papillae form the characteristic wavy boundary between the epithelium and the connective tissue.
Draw and label your illustration.
b. Human brown skin: Hypodermal region
Look for the following structures and draw them on the worksheet.
Fat/adipose cells round to oval shaped, large cells that look like empty spaces due to the fats that are removed upon tissue processing.

Nuclei of fat cells small, dark staining structures that are eventually pressed against the cell membrane, giving more area for fats in the
cytoplasm.
Fibroblasts cells with large, ovoid nuclei, prominent nucleoli and basophilic cytoplasm that are found near the adipose cells.
c. Human brown skin section (sweat gland)
Scan through the entire section at low magnification and focus on the dermis region. Look for the sectioned tubular region of the
sweat gland. Deeper in the dermis region lies the secretory portion of the sweat gland. The excretory duct ascends through the upper
dermis region and penetrates the cell layer of the epidermis.
Look for the following structures:
Secretory cells the coiled tubular structure lined with large, columnar cells that are lightly eosinophilic.
Myoepithelial cells thin, spindle-shaped cells that surrounds the secretory cells.
Excretory duct straight tubular structure lined with deep, staining, stratified cuboidal cells, which are smaller than those of the secretory
cells.
Draw and label your illustrations.

d. Human brown skin section (sebaceous gland)

Look for a hair follicle through the section and you will find numerous sebaceous glands surrounding it. Focus on the sebaceous
glands using the HPO. The sebaceous follicles are aggregates of clear cells that are connected to a duct that opens into the hair follicle.
Look for the following structures:
Hair follicle located in the dermis region, oriented at an angle to the surface, where hair cuticle is formed.
Sebaceous gland:
basal cells the lining of the sebaceous gland. A stratified epithelium that has continuity with the external root sheath of the hair follicle.
secretory cells the gland itself is acinar in shape, which is characterized by polyhedral cells that enlarge, accumulate secretory materials and
become round.
degenerating secretory cells cells in the anterior portion of the acinar gland which undergo degeneration, a process in which the cells
become the oily secretory product, called sebum.
duct of the sebaceous gland - a short duct lined with stratified epithelia, where the sebum passes through.
Draw and label your illustrations.

1. Epidermal Layer. Draw the five layers.

2. Hypodermis: Adipocyte

3. Sweat Gland

Total Magnification: __________________________________

Total Magnification: _____________________________________

Special feature: ______________________________________

Special feature: _________________________________________

4. Hair follicle

5. Sebaceous gland

Total Magnification: __________________________________

Total Magnification: _____________________________________

Special feature: ______________________________________

Special feature: _________________________________________

6. Draw a hair root. Label its part.

7. Give five medical conditions and describe the condition that can be associated to abnormal structures.
Abnormal Structure

Medical condition

1. Melanocyte

2. Sweat gland

3. Sebaceous gland

4.

Alopecia -

5.

Squamous cell carcinoma -