The integumentary system is made up of the largest organ in the body by weight, the skin (a

strong yet flexible covering of our bodies), and its accessory structures (Shier et. al, 2009). The
word integument is of Latin origin: integere" meaning to cover. It refers to the hardened,
waterproof, cushioning, bacteria- and chemical-resistant outer enveloping layer of an organism.
The skin is a complex combination of tissues that perform functions necessary for human
survival. It helps maintain body temperature, receives stimuli from the environment, and stores
chemical compounds. The skin also acts as a protective covering keeping underlying tissues
from harmful light rays and from drying out.

A fingerprint is the impression made by the papillary ridges on the ends of the fingers.
Fingerprints afford an infallible means of personal identification, because the ridge
arrangement on every finger of every human being is unique and does not alter with growth or
age (Hoover, 2017).

Fingerprints have been the standard for personal identification within the forensic community
for more than one hundred years. Fingerprints and finger marks combine to provide the most
powerful means of personal identification available to police and courts. The basic patterns of
fingerprints are loops, whorls and arches that can be found in fingerprints (Kaushal & Kaushal,
2011).

On the other hand, sweat glands are coiled tubular glands that are found in the dermis or lower
part of the skin. They produce a watery secretion and open on to the skin to help control body
temperature and provide an emotional response to stimulus. When we sweat the moisture on
our body evaporates and provides a cooling effect for the body. There are 2 to 4 million sweat
glands found across the human body.

At the end of the exercise, we aimed to draw and label parts of the integument, describe and
compare thick and thin skin, explain the distribution of sweat glands in the human body,
identify and analyze fingerprint types, develop a fingerprint database, and demonstrate various
techniques in fingerprint collection and identification.
Shier, D. N., Butler, J., & Lewis, R. (2009). Shier, holes essentials of human anatomy &
physiology (C) 2010, 12e, student edition (reinforced binding) (12th ed.). New York, NY:
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Post Secondary.

Kaushal N, Kaushal P(2011) Human Identification and Fingerprints: A Review. J Biomet Biostat
2:123. doi:10.4172/2155-6180.1000123

Hoover, J.E. (2017). Fingerprint. In Encyclopedia Brittanica. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/fingerprint