Clinical Significance

Question 1

Just state the name of some clinical disorders of the skin (recall 6)

Answer 1

Psoriasis
Pemphigus
Basal cell carcinoma
Melanoma
Albinism
Keratin disorders

Question 2

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Answer 2

abnormal, uncontrolled growth of basal cells. Can be due to overexposure to UV radiation

Question 3

Recall melanoma

Answer 3

Melanoma - benign tumour of melanocytes -> malignant melanoma - UV radiation induces gene mutations leading to uncontrolled division

Question 4

Recall albinism

Answer 4

Albinism - Mutations in melanin pigment producing pathways

Question 5

Recall Keratin disorders

Answer 5

Keratin disorders - epidermolysis bullosa simplex - dominant mutations in keratins 5 and 14, recessive mutations in plectin. Blistering and scarring

Question 6

Recall pemphigus

Answer 6

Disorders of junctional complexes - pemphigus - antibodies produced against desmosome proteins (desmoglein) resulting in blistering. Treatment = corticosteroids and plasmapheresis

Question 7

Recall psoriasis

Answer 7

Psoriasis - abnormal immune response leads to excessive skin formation + scaling

Question 8

Name the nerve endings in skin, state their location & function

Answer 8

Nerve endings

Free nerve endings in dermis - pain, itch, temperature

Merkel cells in epidermal basal layer - touch

Meissner’s corpuscles in dermis - light touch

Pacinian corpuscles deep in dermis - coarse touch, vibration and tension