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Name:______________________
Date:_______________________
Integumentary System Lab
Purpose: To observe the organs and tissues of the integumentary system and to
review the functions of these parts.
Materials: textbook, hand magnifier or dissecting scope, forceps, microscope slide
and cover slip, pipette and water, compound light microscope, prepared
microscope slide of scalp, prepared slide of thick skin
Introduction: The integumentary system includes the skin, hair, nails, sebaceous
glands, and sweat glands. These organs provide a protective covering for deeper
tissues, aid in regulating body temperature, retard, water loss, house sensory
receptors, synthesize various chemicals, and excrete small quantities of wastes.
Procedure:
1. Review the sections entitled “Skin and its Tissues” and “Accessory Organs of
the Skin” in chapter 6 of your textbook.
2. As a review activity, label figures A, B and C.
Figure A
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Figure B
Figure C
3. Complete part A of the conclusion questions.
4. Use a hand magnifier or dissecting scope and proceed as follows:
a. Observe the skin, hair, and nails of your hand.
b. Compare the type and distribution of hairs on the front and back of
your forearm.
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5. Use low-power magnification of the compound light microscope and
proceed as follows:
a. Pull out a single hair with forceps and mount it on a microscope slide.
Place a drop of water on top of the hair then cover it with a cover slip
being careful not to have any air bubbles around the hair.
b. Observe the root and shaft of the hair and note the scale-like parts that
makeup the shaft.
6. Complete Part B of the conclusion questions.
7. As vertical sections of skin are observed, remember that the lenses of the
microscope invert and reverse images. It is important to orient the position of
the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layers using low power before
continuing with additional observations. Compare all of your skin
observations to the Figures D-H. Use low-power magnification of the
compound light microscope and proceed as follows:
a. Observe the prepared slide of skin with hair.
b. Locate the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer, a hair follicle, a
sebaceous gland, and a sweat gland. You may be able to locate an
arrector pili muscle as well.
c. Focus on the epidermis with high power and locate the stratum
corneum and stratum basale (stratum germinativum). Note how the
shapes of the cells in these two layers differ.
d. Observe the dense connective tissue (irregular collagenous connective
tissue) that makes up the bulk of the dermis.
e. Observe the adipose tissue that composes most of the subcutaneous
layer.
8. Observe the prepared slide of thick skin. Locate the stratum lucidum. Note
how the stratum corneum compares to your observation of the human scalp.
9. Complete part C of the conclusion questions.
10. Using low-power magnification, locate a hair follicle that has been sectioned
longitudinally through its bulblike base. Also locate a sebaceous gland close
to the follicle and find a sweat gland. Observe the detailed structure of these
parts with high power magnification.
11. Complete parts D and E of the conclusion questions.
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Figure D (prickle layer = stratum
spinosum)
Figure E (hypodermis = subcutaneous)
Figure F
Figure G
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Figure H: Sweat Gland and Ducts
Conclusion:
Part A:
Match the structures in Column A with the description and functions in column B.
Place the letter of your choice in the space provided.
_____ 1. Apocrine sweat gland a. an oily secretion that helps to
waterproof body surfaces
_____ 2. Arrector pili muscle
b. outermost layer of the epidermis
_____ 3. Dermis
c. Becomes active during puberty
_____ 4. Eccrine sweat gland
d. Epidermal pigment
_____ 5. Epidermis
e. Inner layer of skin
_____ 6. Hair follicle
f. Responds to elevated body temperature
_____ 7. Keratin
g. pigment-producing cell
_____ 8. Melanin
h. general name of entire superficial layer
of the skin
_____ 9. Melanocyte
i. gland that secretes an oily substance
_____ 10. Sebaceous gland
j. Hard protein of nails and hair
_____ 11. Sebum
k. Binds skin to underlying organs
_____ 12. Stratum basale
l. Cell division and deepest layer of
(stratum germinativum)
epidermis
_____ 13. Stratum corneum
m. Tube-like part that contains the root of
the hair
_____ 14. Subcutaneous layer
n. Causes hair to stand on end and goose
bumps to appear
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Part B
Complete the following using complete sentences:
1. How does the skin of your palm differ from that on the back (posterior) of your
hand?
2. Describe the differences you observed in the type and distribution of hair on
the anterior and posterior of your forearm.
3. Explain how hair is formed.
Part C
1. Distinguish among the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer.
2. How do the cells of the stratum corneum and stratum basale (stratum
germinativum) differ?
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3. What special qualities does the connective tissue of the dermis have?
Part D
1. What part of the hair extends from the hair papilla to the body surface?
2. In which layer of skin are sebaceous glands found?
3. How are sebaceous glands associated with hair follicles?
4. In which layer of skin are sweat glands usually located?
Part E
Sketch and label a vertical section of skin using the low power objective. You must
label the epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous, dermal papilla, adipose tissue, hair
follicle, sebaceous gland, stratum basale, stratum corneum. Be sure to draw it to
scale.