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Integumentary system

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In zootomy, the integumentary system is often the largest organ system of an animal, comprising skin, hair, feathers, scales, nails, skin glands and their products (sweat, slime). It distinguishes, separates, protects, and informs the animal with regard to its surroundings. Small bodied invertebrates of aquatic or continually moist habitats respire at their outer layer (integument). This gas exchange system, where gasses simply diffuse into and out of the interstitial fluid, is called integumentary exchange.

In botany, the integument refers to the envelope of an ovule.

The name comes from the Latin integumentum, which means "to cover".

[edit] Components

The major components of the integumentary system are the cutaneous membrane (skin), and its accessory structures (hair, nails, exocrine glands).

Cutaneous glands include:

[edit] See also

Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the integumentary system. As skin is the most visible organ, skin appearance or symptoms provides important clues not only to skin diseases but also to disorders of other organs, such as the liver. Skin is also the most vulnerable organ system because of exposure to radiation, trauma, infection, and harmful chemicals.

[edit] Sources



Human organ systems
Cardiovascular system - Digestive system - Endocrine system - Immune system - Integumentary system - Lymphatic system - Muscular system - Nervous system - Skeletal system - Reproductive system - Respiratory system - Urinary system
ca:Sistema integumentari

eo:Tegumenta sistemo es:Sistema integumentario fa:دستگاه پوششی io:Tegumenta sistemo ko:외피 기관 ru:Кожа и её производные sr:Покровни систем

Smallwikipedialogo.png This page uses content from the English-language version of Wikipedia. The original article was at Integumentary_system. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Psychology Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.