Inflammation in the skin Flashcards
what is the interface between the epidermis and dermis know as?
Basement membrane zone
what is the role of the basement membrane zone between epidermis and dermis?
ensures epidermis and dermis work together so skin can respond to environmental circumstances
what is it called when the stratum corneum becomes thicker as a result of increased local pressure?
callus
what is it called when deoxygenated blood accumulates in capillaries, making the skin appear blue?
peripheral cyanosis
when the liver produces too much bilirubin and it overflows into the blood causing yellow colouration of skin, what is this called?
jaundice
what are the main structures the dermis contains?
hair follicles
sebaceous gland
eccrine sweat gland
apocrine sweat gland
a single section of hair, 3cm long, shows how long of recent drug use?
most recent 3 months
what is it called when epidermis is excessively pigmented?
melanism
what is it called when epidermis lacks melanocytes completely?
albinism
what is it called when epidermis lacks melanocytes locally?
vitiligo
what is it called when skin has excessive keratinisation?
ichthyosis
what is a locus of excessive pigmentation called?
a mole (naevus)
what does the skin produce at the site of a lesion in order to repair itself?
vascular granulation tissue then fibrovascular granulation tissue
after vascular and fibrovascular granulation tissue is produced in excess, what remodels the new tissue?
MMP’s
what is the name of a large scar produced when fibroblasts produce excess collagen around healing lesion?
keloid
how is the epidermis of keloid scars described?
smooth
name 2 conditions that affect epidermis and BMZ
pemphigus vulgaris
bullous pemphigoid
what type of condition is pemphigus vulgaris?
autoimmune
in pemphigus vulgaris, an antibody is produced which binds to what to damage it?
desmosomes
where in the epidermis does pemphigus vulgaris effect?
stratum spinosum
what is caused as a result of cell separation in the stratum spinosum, in pemphigus vulgaris?
local blistering
what type of condition is bullous pemphigoid?
genetic
how is bullous pemphigoid described?
a disruption between epidermis and BMZ
what causes the epidermis to locally separate from BMZ in bullous pemphigoid?
defective hemidesmosomal anchoring
how is impetigo described?
superficial bacterial skin infection
what specific bacteria cause impetigo?
staphylococcus aureus
streptococcus pyogenes group A
how is erysipelas described?
dermal bacterial infection
what specific bacterium causes erysipelas?
group A streptococcus
what symptomatic effect does erysipelas have on the skin?
turns bright red and swells
what type of fungi is tinea caused by?
dermatophytes
what can dermatophytes digest?
keratin
where in the epidermis is tinea found?
stratum corneum
what type of infection is candida?
yeast
what is the name of the yeast that causes candida?
candida albicans
candida effects where?
mucous membranes of mouth and vagina
candida is a commensal yeast of GI tract, mouth and vagina but can invade mucous membranes as a result of?
immunosuppression or after antibiotic treatment
