Advantages And Disadvantages Of Skin

Abstract

Although one of the primary jobs of skin is being an effective barrier to infection, skin also plays a role in the body movement of humans and other animals. A more general term for the outer covering of living things is integument. In humans and all vertebrates, the integument consists of keratinized skin. Keratin is a hardened, protective, fairly waterproof protein in integumentary structures such as vertebrate skin, nails, hair, horns, and feathers. Although the skin of vertebrates has certain structural differences, their integuments are all instrumental in helping to balance the gain and loss of water, which is crucial to life.

Land animals have integuments that not only protect them but conserve water. The primary component

They undergo the process of ecydsis which is shedding of skin.

Summary

The outer covering in all living beings is known as integument. In humans and all vertebrates it is made up of keratinized skin. Integument is a primary thing through which an organism interacts with the outer environment. It performs nany functions such as protection and support of soft tissues against abrasion, reception and transduction of external stimuli.

In pisces integument is made of scales. Their skin is non keratinized and instead covered with mucus. They typically have tough skin with deep dermal and thin epidermis layer.

In amphibians their skin consists of epidermis and dermis. Epidermis is highly keratinized. Their skin is permeable to water and they are also capable of gaseous exchange through their skin.

In reptiles, epidermal scales help prevent water loss as these animals bask in the sun to raise their body temperature and metabolic rate. In skin breathers such as the amphibians (frogs and salamanders), the naked skin is covered with mucus to help keep that respiratory surface moist yet reduce water