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The Integument

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The integument is the largest organ in the human body. It consists of the skin (epidermis and dermis) and associated appendages (hairs, nails, sweat and sebaceous glands) (Venus et al. 2011).

The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin. It is stratified squamous epithelial layer of ectoderm origin and it is devoid of blood vessels and consists of four layers: stratum corneum, stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum, and stratum basale. Keratinocytes are the major cells in the epidermis, but other cells are also present such as melanocytes, langerhans, and merkel cells. The dermis is a connective tissue layer of mesodermal origin below the epidermis and contains blood vessels, sensory structures, collagen, fibroblasts, and elastic fibers. Its

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