CH5 Flashcards
what are the functions of the integumentary system?
- helps maintain a constant body temperature
- protects the body from external environment
- provides sensory information about the surrounding environment
- indicates homeostatic imbalances in the body
- reveals systemic infections or diseases on internal organs
- excretes and absorbs substances
- synthesizes Vit D
what is dermatology?
the medical specialty that deals with the structure, function, and disorders of the integumentary system
what is the skin?
cutaneous membrane, covers the external surface of the body and is by weight the largest organ of the body in weight
what are the two main parts of the skin?
epidermis: superficial, thinner portion, which is composed of epithelial tissue
dermis: deeper, thicker connective tissue portion
what is the subcutaneous tissue?
- consists of areolar and adipose tissues
- Fibers that extend from the dermis anchor the skin to the subcutaneous tissue, which in turn attaches to underlying fascia, the connective tissue around muscles and bones
- serves as a storage depot for fat and contains large blood vessels that supply the skin
what are lamellar corpuscles?
nerve endings that are sensitive to pressure, high frequency vibrations
what kind of tissue is the epidermis composed of?
keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
what four types of cells are found in the epidermis?
- keratinocytes
- melanocytes
- dendritic cells
- tactile epithelial cells
what are keratinocytes?
- produce keratin
- produce lamellar granules
what is keratin?
tough, fibrous protein
- helps protect the skin and underlying tissues from abrasions, heat, microbes, and chemicals
what are lamellar granules?
membrane-enclosed, fuses with plasma membrane to release a lipid-rich water-repellent sealant that decreases water entry and loss, inhibits the entry of foreign materials
what are melanocytes?
- produce melanin
- long, slender pseudopods extend btwn the keratinocytes and transfer melanin granules to them
what is melanin?
- yellow-red or brown-black pigment that contributes to skin color and absorbs damaging ultraviolet (UV) light
- melanin granules cluster to form a protective veil over the nucleus to shield the nuclear DNA from damage by UV light
- neutralizes free radicals that form in skin after damage by UV radiation
what are dendritic cells?
- arise from red bone marrow and migrate to the epidermis
- participate in immune responses against microbes that invade the skin
- help other cells of the immune system recognize an invading microbe and destroy it
what are tactile epithelial cells?
- located in deepest layer of epidermis
- make contact with nonencapsulated sensory corpuscles
- detect touch sensations
what is the stratum basale?
- deepest layer of epidermis
- composed of single row of cuboidal/columnar epithelial cells
- some are epidermal stem cells that produce new keratinocytes
what are tonofilaments?
keratin intermediate filaments
- compose the cytoskeleton within keratinocytes of stratum basale
- attaches to desmosomes, hemidesmosomes and attaches cells in stratum basale tgt
what are skin grafts?
the transfer of a patch of healthy skin taken from a donor site to cover a wound
what types of cells/structures are found in stratum basale?
- epidermal stem cells
- new daughter cuboidal/columnar keratinocytes
- melanocytes
- tactile epithelial cells and nonencapsulated sensory corpuscles
- tonofilaments
why are skin grafts performed?
- to protect against fluid loss and infection
- to promote tissue healing
- to reduce scar formation
- to prevent loss of function
- cosmetic reasons
what is an autograft?
skin graft from skin from same individual
what is an isograft?
skin graft of skin from an identical twin
why are transplanted skin usually taken from same individual/identical twin?
to avoid tissue rejection
what is an autologous skin transplantation?
small amts of individual’s epidermis removed, keratinocytes cultured to produce thin sheets of skin
- performed when skin damage extensive that autograft would cause harm
- usually for severely burned patients
what is the stratum spinosum?
- mainly consists of numerous keratinocytes arranged in 8–10 layers
- Cells in the more superficial layers become somewhat flattened
- keratinocytes of the stratum spinosum produce coarser bundles of keratin in intermediate filaments
- strong and flexible because at each spinelike projection, bundles of keratin intermediate filaments insert into desmosomes, which tightly join the cells to one another
what types of cells/structures are found in the stratum spinosum?
- keratinocytes
- coarser bundles of keratin in intermediate filaments
- dendritic cells
- projections of melanocytes
what is the stratum granulosum?
- consists of three to five layers of flattened keratinocytes that are undergoing apoptosis
- nuclei and other organelles of these cells begin to degenerate as they move farther from their source of nutrition
- marks the transition between the deeper, metabolically active strata and the dead cells of the more superficial strata
what is keratohyalin?
darkly staining granules, assembles keratin intermediate filaments into keratin
what is apoptosis?
orderly, genetically programmed cell death in which the nucleus fragments before the cells die
what is the stratum lucidum?
- present only in thick skin
- four to six layers of flattened, clear, dead keratinocytes with thick plasma membranes and large amounts of keratin
- additional level of toughness
where is thick skin found?
- palms
- palmar surfaces of digits, soles
- plantar surfaces of toes
what is the stratum corneum?
- consists on average of 25 to 30 layers of flattened, extremely thin dead keratinocytes
- cells continuously shed and replaced by cells from deeper strat
- multiple layers protect deeper strata from injury and microbial invasion
- constant exposure to friction increases cell and keratin production
how are keratinocytes in stratum corneum different?
- extremely thin
- no longer have nucleus or internal organelles
what is a callus?
abnormal thickening of the stratum corneum due to constant exposure to friction and abrasion
what is keratinization?
cells accumulate more and more keratin as keratinocytes move from one epidermal layer to the next
why are the cells in the stratum basale the ones that undergo cellular division and replace the dead keratinocytes?
stratum basale is closest to highly vascular dermis
- receives most of nutrients and oxygen
- most active metabolically
- as cells pushed farther from basale, blood supply cut off
when does the rate of cell division in stratum basale increase?
when the outer layers of the epidermis are stripped away
ex. abrasions and burns
what is psoriasis?
- skin disorder in which keratinocytes divide and move more quickly than normal from the stratum basale to the stratum corneum
- immature keratinocytes make an abnormal keratin, which forms flaky, silvery scales at the skin surface, most often on the knees, elbows, and scalp
- cell division must be suppressed, keratinization inhibited to effectively treat
what is the dermis composed of?
dense irregular connective tissue containing collagen and elastic fibers, blood vessels
what cells are found in the dermis?
- fibroblasts
- macrophages
- adipocytes near subcutaneous tissue
what are the various properties of the dermis?
- woven network of fibers has great tensile strength (resists pulling or stretching forces)
- has the ability to stretch and recoil easily
- has blood vessels that supply nutrient/waste exchange with epidermis
what are the two different layers of the dermis?
- papillary dermis
- reticular dermis
what is the papillary dermis?
- contains thin collagen and fine elastic fibers
- surface area is greatly increased by dermal papillae
- All dermal papillae contain capillary loops
- some contain tactile corpuscles and free nerve endings
what are dermal papillae?
small, nipple-shaped structures that project into the undersurface of the epidermis
what are tactile corpuscles?
nerve endings found in a dermal papilla that are sensitive to touch
what are free nerve endings?
dendrites that lack any apparent structural specialization
- Different free nerve endings initiate signals that give rise to sensations of warmth, coolness, pain, tickling, and itching
what is the reticular dermis?
- attached to the subcutaneous tissue, contains bundles of thick collagen fibers, scattered fibroblasts, and various wandering cells (such as macrophages)
- collagen fibers in the reticular dermis are arranged in a netlike manner and have a more regular arrangement than those in the papillary dermis, helps skin resist stretching
what kinds of cells and structures are found in the reticular dermis?
- thick collagen fibres with regular netlike arrangement
- fibroblasts
- wandering cells
- adipocytes
what kinds of structures occupy the spaces between the fibres in the reticular fibre?
Blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and sudoriferous glands
what gives skin its strength, extensibility, and elasticity
the combination of collagen and elastic fibres with netlike, regular arrangement in the reticular dermis
what results in striae/stretch marks?
the internal damage to the collagenous, vascular dermis that occurs when the skin is stretched too much
- lateral bonding between adjacent collagen fibers is disrupted and small dermal blood vessels rupture
what are epidermal ridges?
- series of elevations that appear either as straight lines or as a pattern of loops and whorls
- found on thick skin
- produced during the 3rd month of fetal development
- genetically determined and is unique for each individual
what is the function of epidermal ridges?
- increase the surface area of the epidermis and thus increase the grip of the hand or foot by increasing friction
- increases the number of corpuscles of touch and thus increases tactile sensitivity
why is the jigsaw puzzle-like connection of the dermal papillae and epidermal pegs important?
- strengthens the skin against forces that move epidermis and dermis in opposite directions
what are the three pigments that impart a wide variety of colors to skin?
- carotene
- melanin
- hemoglobin
what are the two types of melanin?
pheomelanin and eumelanin
what is pheomelanin?
yellow to red form of melanin
what is eumelanin?
brown to black form of melanin
what is differences in skin colour mainly due to?
- the number of melanocytes is about the same in all people
- differences in skin color are due mainly to the amount of pigment the melanocytes produce and transfer to keratinocytes
what are freckles?
patches of melanin accumulations
what is a nevus?
a mole; a round, flat, or raised area that represents a benign localized overgrowth of melanocytes
what amino acid do melanocytes synthesize melanin from? in the presence of what enzyme?
tyrosine, in the presence of tyrosinase
where does melanin synthesis occur?
in melanosomes
what does exposure to UV light do in melanocytes?
- increases the enzymatic activity within melanosomes and thus increases melanin production
- Both the amount and darkness of melanin increase on UV exposure
how is a tan lost?
when the melanin-containing keratinocytes are shed from the stratum corneum
what is albinism?
the inherited inability of an individual to produce melanin
- melanocytes unable to synthesize tyrosinase
what is vitiligo?
the partial or complete loss of melanocytes from patches of skin produces irregular white spots
- related to an immune system malfunction in which antibodies attack the melanocytes
where is carotene stored in the skin?
the stratum corneum, the fatty areas of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue
what causes the yellow appearance due to jaundice?
the buildup of bilirubin in the skin
what is erythema caused by?
engorgement of capillaries in the dermis with blood due to skin injury, exposure to heat, infection, inflammation, or allergic reactions
What is pallor?
paleness of the skin
- may occur due to shock or anemia
why might the skin appear cyanotic?
skin may appear blueish due to blood not picking up adequate amount of oxygen
what are pili?
hairs, present on most skin surfaces
what determines the thickness and pattern of hair distribution?
- genetics
- hormonal influences
what functions do pili have?
- limited protection
- decreases heat loss from scalp
- eyebrows and eyelashes protect eyes from foreign particles
- hair root plexuses associated with hair follicles activate whenever hair is moved slightly
- senses light touch
what is the hair shaft?
superficial portion of hair, projects above the surface of the skin
what is the hair root?
portion of hair deep to the shaft that penetrates into dermis or subcutaneous tissue
what are the three layers that make up hair?
- inner medulla
- middle cortex
- outer cuticle
what is the hair’s medulla?
composed of two or three rows of irregularly shaped cells that contain pigment granules
- may be lacking in thinner hair
what is the hair’s cortex?
forms the major part of the shaft and consists of elongated cells
what is the hair’s cuticle?
outermost layer, consists of a single layer of thin, flat cells that are the most heavily keratinized
what is the hair follice?
structure composed of epithelium, surrounds the root of a hair from which hair develops