BIOL 30100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Collagen, Chemotherapy, Stratum Spinosum
Document Summary
Composed of skin, hair, oil glands, sweat glands, nails, and sensory receptors make the integumentary system. The skin is also called the cutaneous membrane and it covers the external surface of the body. It is the largest organ in the body by weight and it weighs about 10 lbs. Excessive damage to the skin can lead to death. Divided into 2 parts: the epidermis and the dermis. All of us are born with the same number of melanocytes but the amount of melanin produced is different. Melanin can have different colors which becomes prominent in the hair. Can be dark like dark brown or black, or orange or red. Has a whole spectrum of colors from yellow, orange, red, brown, or black. Color you get to the equator, the darker the melanin is because sun is the hottest over there. Hemoglobin becomes a factor for people who do not produce much melanin so skin is kind of transparent look red.
