3.1 – Introduction to the Integumentary System
Learning Objectives
- Identify the anatomy and describe the main functions of the integumentary system and accessory structures
- Analyze, translate, and define medical terms and common abbreviations of the integumentary system
- Practice the spelling and pronunciation of integumentary system medical terminology
- Identify the medical specialties associated with the integumentary system and explore common diseases, disorders, diagnostic tests and procedures
Integumentary System Word Parts
Click on prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes to reveal a list of word parts to memorize for the Integumentary System.
Prefix
- a- (absence of, without)
- bi- (two or both)
- dia- (through, complete)
- dys- (difficult, painful, abnormal, laboured)
- epi- (upon, on, over)
- hyper- (above, excessive)
- hypo- (deficient, below, under, incomplete)
- intra- (within, in)
- meta- (change, beyond, after)
- neo- (new)
- para- (beside, around, beyond, abnormal)
- per- (through)
- pro- (before)
- sub- (under, below)
- trans- (through, across, beyond)
- uni- (one)
Combining Form
- aut/o (self)
- bi/o (life)
- coni/o (dust)
- crypt/o (hidden)
- cutane/o (skin)
- derm/o (skin)
- dermat/o (skin)
- heter/o (other)
- hidr/o (sweat)
- kerat/o (hard, horny tissue, keratin)
- lei/o (smooth)
- myc/o (fungus)
- necr/o (death)
- onych/o (nail)
- pachy/o (thick)
- rhytid/o (wrinkles)
- seb/o (sebum)
- staphyl/o (grapelike clusters)
- strept/o (twisted chains)
- ungu/o (nail)
- xer/o (dryness, dry)
Suffix
- -a (no meaning, noun ending)
- -al (pertaining to)
- -ad (toward)
- -coccus (berry-shaped)
- -cyte (cell)
- -ectomy (excision)
- -gen (substance that produces/causes, agent that produces/causes)
- -genic (producing, originating, causing)
- -ia (condition of, diseased state, abnormal state)
- -ic (pertaining to)
- -itis (inflammation)
- -ior (pertaining to)
- -logy (study of)
- -logist (specialist who studies and treats)
- -malacia (softening)
- -megaly (enlarged, enlargement)
- -oid (resembling)
- -oma (tumour, swelling)
- -opsy (view of, process of viewing, viewing)
- -osis (abnormal condition, increased numbers relating to blood)
- -ous (pertaining to)
- -pathy (disease)
- -phagia (eating, swallowing)
- -plasia (development, growth, condition of formation)
- -plasm (growth, substance, formation)
- -plasty (surgical repair)
- -rrhea (flow, discharge)
- -sis (state of)
- -stasis (stop, controlling, standing)
- -tome (instrument used to cut)
Activity source: Integumentary System Word List by Jesslyn Wilkinson, licensed under CC BY 4.0./ Converted to text.
Introduction to the Integumentary System
The integumentary system refers to the skin and its accessory structures. In the adult human body, the skin makes up about 16 percent of body weight and covers an area of 1.5 to 2 m2.
In fact, the skin and accessory structures are the largest organ system in the human body. The skin protects your inner organs and it is in need of daily care and protection to maintain its health.
Did You Know?
Media 3.1: CrashCourse. (2015, February 9). The Integumentary system, part 1 – Skin deep: Crash Course anatomy & physiology #6 [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Orumw-PyNjw
Integumentary Medical Terms
Practice the following Integumentary System words by breaking into word parts and pronouncing
Integumentary Medical Terms (Text version)
- biopsy (bx)
- BĪ-op-sē
- view of life (removal of living tissue to be viewed under a microscope)
- dermatitis
- dĕr-mă-TĪT-ĭs
- inflammation of the skin
- dermatoautoplasty
- dĕr-mă-tō-AW-tō-plăs-tē
- surgical repair using one’s own skin
- dermatoconiosis
- dĕr-mă-tō-kō-nē-Ō-sĭs
- abnormal condition of the skin caused by dust
- dermatofibroma
- dĕr-mă-tō-fī-BRŌ-mă
- fibrous tumour of the skin
- dermatoheteroplasty
- dĕr-mă-tō-HĔT-ĕr-ō-plăs-tē
- surgical repair using skin from others
- dermatologist
- dĕr-mă-TŎL-ō-jĭst
- Physician who specializes in treating diseases and disorders of the skin
- dermatology (derm)
- dĕr-mă-TŎL-ō-jē
- study of the skin
- dermatome
- DĔR-mă-tōm
- instrument used to cut skin
- dermatoplasty
- DĔR-măt-ō-plas-tē
- get meaning
- epidermal
- ĕp-ĭ-DĔR-mal
- pertaining to upon/on the skin
- erythroderma
- ĕ-rith-rŏ-DĔR-mă
- red skin
- hidradenitis
- hi-dra-ĕn-ĪT-ĭs
- inflammation of a sweat gland
- hypodermic
- hī-pō-DĔR-mĭk
- pertaining to below the skin
- intradermal (ID)
- in-tră-DĔR-măl
- pertaining to within the skin
- keratogenic
- kĕr-ă-TŎJ-ĕ-nŭk
- agent that causes growth of horny tissue
- keratosis
- ker-ă-TŌ-sĭs
- abnormal condition of growth of horny tissue
- leiodermia
- lī-ō-DĔR-mē-ă
- condition of smooth skin
- leukoderma
- loo-kŏ-DĔR-mă
- white patches caused by depigmentation
- necrosis
- nĕ-KRŌ-sĭs
- condition of death
- onychocryptosis
- ŏn-ĭ-kō-krip-TŌ-sis
- abnormal condition of a hidden nail
- onychomalacia
- ŏn-ĭ-kō-mă-LĀ-shă
- softening of the nails
- onychomycosis
- on-i-kō-mī-KŌ-sĭs
- abnormal condition of a fungus in the nails
- onychophagia
- ŏn-ĭ-KŎF-ă-jē
- eating the nails (nail biting)
- pachyderma
- pak-ē-DĔR-mă
- thickening of the skin
- paronychia
- păr-ō-NĬK-ē-ă
- diseased state around the nail
- percutaneous
- pĕr-kū-TĀ-nē-ŭs
- pertaining to through the skin
- rhytidectomy
- rit-ĭ-DEK-tŏ-mē
- excision of the wrinkles
- rhytidoplasty
- RĬT-ĭ-dō-plăs-tē
- surgical repair of wrinkles
- seborrhea
- sĕb-or-Ē-ă
- discharge (excessive) of sebum
- staphylococcus (staph)
- staf-ĭ-lō-KOK-ŭs
- berry-shaped bacterium in grape-like clusters
- streptococcus (strep)
- strep-tŏ-KOK-ŭs
- berry-shaped bacterium in twisted chains
- subcutaneous (subcut, Sub-Q)
- sŭb-kū-TĀ-nē-ŭs
- pertaining to under the skin
- subungual
- sŭb-ŬNG-gwăl
- pertaining to under the nail
- transdermal (TD)
- trănz-DĔRM-ăl
- pertaining to through the skin
- ungual
- ŬNG-gwăl
- pertaining to the nail
- xeroderma
- zer-ŏ-DĔR-mă
- dry skin
- xerosis
- zĕ-RŌ-sĭs
- abnormal condition of dryness
Activity source: Integumentary Medical Terms from Medical Terminology by Grimm et al., licensed under CC BY 4.0. / Text version added.
Attribution
Except where otherwise noted, this chapter is adapted from “Integumentary System” in Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford licensed under CC BY 4.0. / A derivative of Betts et al., which can be accessed for free from Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax). Adaptations: dividing Integumentary System chapter content into sub-chapters.