Basic Skin Biology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the functions of the skin?

A
  • Protective barrio against environmental insults
  • Temperature regulation (thermoregulates)
  • Sensation
  • Vit D synthesis
  • Immunosurveillance
  • Cosmesis
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2
Q

What is the most severe emergency presentation?

A
  • Erythematous (Redness)
  • Extensive (covering majority of skin)
  • Exfoliative: Upper layer of skin is sliding of
    Erythematous extensive exfoliative rash
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3
Q

What is erythroderma?

A

A presentation which results from several skin conditions as a complication
- Total skin failure

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4
Q

What are the complications of erythroderma?

A
  • Hypothermia (loss of thermoregulation)
  • Infection (loss of protective barrier) -> sepsis
  • Renal failure (insensible losses)
  • High output cardiac failure (dilated skin vessels)
  • Protein malnutrition (high turnover of skin as loss of top layer of skin)
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5
Q

How much of the body can be affected by erythroderma?

A

> 90% of body surface area
erythematous and exfoliative

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6
Q

What are causes of erythroderma?

A
  • Psoriasis
  • Eczema
  • Secondary complication of drugs
  • Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (cancer)
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7
Q

What are some symptoms of erythroderma?

A
  • Pruritus
  • Fatigue
  • Anorexia
  • Feeling cold
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8
Q

What some signs of erythroderma?

A
  • Erythematous
  • Thickened
  • Inflamed
  • Scaly
  • No sparing (superficial and deep affected)
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9
Q

What are the layers of skin?

A

Epidermis
Dermis

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10
Q

What are the 4 types of cells in epidermis?

A
  • Keratinocytes - protective barrier
  • Langerhan cells- antigen presenting cells
  • Melanocytes- produce melanin which provides pigment to the skin and protects cell nuclei from UV DNA damage
  • Merkel Cells - contain specialised nerve endings for sensation
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11
Q

What are the 4 layers of the epidermis?

A
  • stratum corneum
  • stratum lucidum (in areas of thick skin like palms)
  • stratum granulosum
  • stratum basale
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12
Q

What stages of maturation do the-epidermal layers represent and what is cell turnover time?

A

Each layer represent different stage of maturation of keratinocyte
Average epidermal turnover time is 30 days

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13
Q

What can pathology in epidermis cause?

A
  • a) Change in epidermal turnover
  • b) Change in surface of the skin
  • c) Changes in pigmentation of the skin
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14
Q

Give 2 examples of pathology of the epidermis

A
  • Psoriasis
  • Vitiligo
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15
Q

What are common presentation of psoriasis?

A
  • Erythematous
  • Scaly
  • Plaques
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16
Q

What are common presentation of psoriasis?

A
  • Erythematous
  • Scaly
  • Plaque
17
Q

What causes the appearance of psoriasis?

A

Increased cell turnover

18
Q

What is vitiligo?

A

Patches of make skin
Autoimmune disorder
Hypopigmentation in certain parts of the body

19
Q

Give 2 examples of pathology of the epidermis

A
  • Psoriasis
  • Vitiligo
20
Q

What is the dermis?

A

Made of collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans
Provides strength and elasticity

21
Q

What is contained in the Dermis?

A

immune cell
nerve cells
skin appendages
lymphatics
blood vessels
hair bulbs
sweat glands

22
Q

Give some examples of pathology of the dermis

A
  • Dermatographia
  • Acne vulgaris
23
Q

What is dermatographia?

A
  • raised bumps when touched - wheel
  • Oedema in dermal layer causing the bump
24
Q

What is the role of sebaceous glands?

A
  • Produce sebum through hair follicles (pilosebaceous unit)
  • Secretes sebum to skin for lubrication
  • Active post puberty
  • Stimulated by conversion of androgen to dihydrotestosterone
25
Q

What causes acne vulgaris?

A
  • Increased sebum production
  • Bacterial colinisation
26
Q

What glands are responsible for regulating body temperature?

A

Eccrine (widespread)
Apocrine (active following
puberty and are found in
axillae, areolae, genitalia and
anus)

27
Q

What are Eccrine and Apocrine glands innervated by?

A

SNS

28
Q

What is hair made of?

A
  • Each hair consists of modified keratin
  • Divided into hair shaft and hair bulb
29
Q

What are the main types of hair?

A
  • lanugo hair
  • vellum hair (short hair all over body)
  • terminal hair (coarse long hair)
30
Q

Each hair follicle enters a growth cycle which has 3 main phases:

A

anagen
catagen
telogen
If any of these phases disrupted leading to hair loss (e.g. in cancer treatment)

31
Q

What are some patterns of hair loss?

A
  • Alopecia areata (patchy hair loss)
  • Androgen driven male pattern bulging hairloss
32
Q

What do nails consist of?

A
  • Consists of a nail plate which arises from the nail matrix at the posterior nail fold and rests on the nail bed.
  • Nail bed contains blood capillaries
  • Many pathologies can cause changes in nails
33
Q

Some example of pathology affecting nails?

A
  • Lung pathology: nail clubbing
  • Iron deficiency anaemia: koilonychia (spoon like nails)
  • Skin conditions like eczema/psoriasis can cause thickening of nail, disruption of normal nail plate, separation of nail plate from nail bed