Introduction of integumentary system ( Structure of integument)

Generally, integument can be divided into two part which is epidermis and dermis.
Epidermis gives rise to most derivatives of integuments such as the hair, feathers, claws and
hooves. Meanwhile dermis contain blood vessels, collagenous fibers, nerves, pigment cells,
fat cells and connective tissues cells called fibro blasts. The epidermis is a stratified
squamous epithelium consisting usually of several layers of cells. The basal part is made up
of cells that undergo frequent mitosis to renew layers that lie above. As outer layers of cells
are displayed upward by new generations of cell beneath, called keratin. Gradually, keratins
replaces all metabolically active cytoplasm. The cell dies and eventually shed, lifeless and
scalelike. This process called keratinization. The dermis, as already mentioned, mainly
serves a supportive role for the epidermis.

Integumentary System of Mammal in Tundra Polar Bear

Mammals characteristically have 2 kinds of hair forming the pelage ( fur coat): (1)
dense and soft under-hair for insulation and (2) coarse and longer guard hair for protection
against wear and to provide coloration. Under-hair traps a layer of insulating air. The
integument of polar bear generally has two layers of hair. The outer protective layer consists
of long, coarse guard hairs and the inner layer is composed of softer intermediate hairs or
underfur. Polars bears guard hairs are medullated ( having sheath). The fur of a polar bear is
either white or tan and very thick. They have several layers of it to keep them warm in the
colder region. They also have layers of blubber that further insulate them as the colder times
of the year approach. Although polar bears have both white and transparent fur, their skin is
actually black and can absorb heat better from the sunlight. Thick fur of polar bear keep their
bodies warms in the very cold regions where they live.

Integumentary System of Mammal in Dessert - Camel

Like in humans, animals also have their own integumentary system to protect them from
dangers and adapt to the surrounding. Camels need integumentary system to survive the
extreme heat of the environment, help to
prevent dehydration, freezing or overheating

This figure show skin layers of camel

The skin of camel is unique among domestic

animals. The epidermis of camel usually
consists of following layers. First, Stratum corneum is total epidermal thickness. It consists of
fully keratinized cells pushed up from basal layers. Then, Stratum Lucidum is occasionally
seen in sparsely haired skin as a dense eosinophillic layer beneath the stratum corneum.
Besides, it also consists of Stratum granulosum ( granular layer ) is a single layer of cells in
some areas and discontinuous in others. The nuclei are pycnotic and most of the cytoplasm
has been replaced with keratin. Camel skin also consists of Stratum spinosum ( prickle
layer) is reduced but is composed of daughter cells of the basal layer and is 1-3 cells thick.
These cells are viable and synthesize keratin. Others, Stratum Basale is the deepest layer of
the epidermis and consists of a single layer of cuboidal or columnar cells, most of which are
keratinocytes with a few melanocytes. Melanocytes contain melanin pigment in pseudopods
distributed between epidermal cells of the skin and hair. Skin colour is determined by the
number, size , arrangement and dispersion of melanin granules. The dermis ( corium) is
thick and consists of a superficial layer composed of loose connective tissue. The dermis
contains hair follicles, blood and lymph vessels, nerves and sweat glands. Keratinocytes is
keratin cells located in epidermis. It acts as the protective barrier that prevent enter of foreign
substances. Langerhans cells is found in epidermis, it functions is ingest antigen that get into
the skin. Lamellar granules is a spherical granule at cytoplasm. It functions is barrier
protective that against foreign substances. Merkel cells is located at basal epidermis. This
cell acts as sensory in touch function in skin. So, it will detect light touch. Last but not least,
tactile disc is nerve endings attached to basal surface Merkel cell. It function is carry impulse
to brain.

Integumentary System of Mammal in Tropical Area- African Elephant

The skin of elephant is not equally thick at all locations of the body. The thicker skin is found
on the head, back and buttock. Known as pachyderms, the name is derived from the Latin
words for thick (pachy) and skin (derm) and means, quite literally, thick-skin., an
elephant's skin is not as thick as it may appear, but in other places, it is as thin as paper.
People who touch an elephants skin for the first time often describe it as like an eraser.The
skin is a highly sensitive organ with a rich nerve supply. Like other mammals, the skin is
composed of two major layers (dermis and epidermis), include glands and hair follicles. The
colour of skin is darker (brown or reddish) in African elephants. An elephant has no sweat
glands and cannot use them for thermoregulation; mud trapped in the folds of the skin along
with the flapping of its ears help to keep the elephant cool.

Elephants have evolved many folds in their skin layers, giving them their baggy and
wrinkled appearance. The folds increasing the overall surface area of the skin, which
provides more space to allow for the dispersion of body heat and this feature may help in
slow down the evaporation process and thus cool them. The wrinkles also are the main
reason elephants will mud bath. The initial cooling of the wet mud helps the elephant cool
down instantly. Moisture trapped in all of the wrinkles continues to cool the elephant even
after it leaves the mud source. The skin's main purpose is to help keep the elephant cool.
The wrinkles on the skin are designed to produce more surface area through which heat can

be dissipated. African elephants have the biggest ears in the world. Their ears are bigger
because it is hotter on the open tropical plains, and the ears are designed to lose heat.
Behind the ears is the area where large amounts of blood vessels are found close to the skin
surface. Warm blood passing through these blood vessels is cooled before recirculating
throughout the body. The skin also helps to disperse an elephants body heat, cooling the
animal.
Temporal or musth gland, an adapted sebaceous gland is
located midway between eye and ear on the temple on
both sides of the head. The glands are covered with skin
that is 2 or more cm thick. The glands produce chemical
substances important in elephant reproduction.
Extra interesting facts:
What if elephants had sweat glands after all?
If the elephant would have perspiratory glands, his skin
would mostly be bathed in perspiration because an
elephant weighing about 2000 kg has a skin surface of
roughly 112000 cm. A rat weighing 300 grams has a body
surface of 300 cm. This means that in comparison with his weight, an elephant only has
1/18 of a rats body surface. Smaller creatures can therefore give away their body heat
better than elephants and perspire much less.
How are the skin and diet related?
Elephants take food containing less energy than smaller creatures or humans do for not
feeling too hot all the time. This is a reason why elephants grow so tall with a vegetable diet.
If they would eat meat, fat and sugar, they could not anymore equalize their body
temperature independent of the air temperature and so could not survive anymore.