Integumentary System (235 #5) Flashcards
Layers of Skin
AKA - cutaneous membrane (2m sq and 5kg, 7% of body weight!)
1) epidermis - epithelial tissue, thin, nonvascular
2) Dermis - thicker, connective tissue, vascular
3) subcutaneous (subQ) or hypodermis, not considered part of the skin. Areolar and adipose tissues. Fibres from dermis attach to hypodermis, which attaches to fascia. Storage depot for fat, large blood vessels and Pacinian or lamellated corpuscles.
Layers of Epidermis
Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium containing:
1) keratinocytes - 90%
2) melanocytes - 8%
3) Langerhans cells - small fraction
4) Merkel cells - least amount
Layers:
1) Basale
2) Spinosum
3) Granulosum
4) Lucidium (only thick skin)
5) Corneum
THIN = 1,2,3,5 THICK = 1-5 higher friction (fingertips, soles, palms)
4-6 week cycle for replacement of cells from layer to layer.
Keratinocytes
arranged in 4-5 layers and produce keratin - tough fibrous protein that helps protext the skin and underlying tissues from abrasions, heat, microbes and chemicals. Also produce lamellar granules - release water-repellant sealant that decreases water entry and loss and inhibits entry of foreign materials
Melanocytes
develop from ectoderm of developing embryo and produce melanin. Slender projections extend btwn keratinocytes and deliver melanin granules to them.
Melanin
yellow-red or black-brown pigment that contributes to skin colour and absorbs UV light. Form a protective veil over the nucleus of keratinocytes to shield DNA.
Langerhans Cells
AKA epidermal dendritic cells, arise from red bone marrow and migrate to epidermis. Immune responses to help other cells phagocytize microbes in skin, easily destroyed by UV.
Merkel Cells
detect touch sensations, part of efferent peripheral division.
Stratum Basale/Germinativum
single row of cuboidal or columnar keratinocytes. Some are stem cells that undergo mitosis to create new keratinocytes. Keratin intermediate filaments (tonofilaments) attach to desmosomes (attach within the layer and to stratum spinosum) and hemidesmosomes (attach to basement membrane. Also contains Merkel cells and melanocytes.
Stratum Spinosum
numerous keratinocytes in 8-10 layers, somewhat flattened, retain ability to divide. Produce coarser bundles of keratin than the basale layer. They develop thornlike spines when prepared for examination and the intermediate filaments at each projection attach into desmosomes. Provides both strength and flexibility. Langerhans cells and projections of melanocytes are also present.
Stratum Granulosum
3-5 layers of flattened keratinocytes undergoing apoptosis. Keratin filaments become more apparent. Darkly staining granules of keratohyalin, which assembles keratin intermediate filaments into keratin. Membrane-enclosed Lamellar granules fuse with plasma membrane and secrete lipid-rich secretion - water-repellant sealant, retards loss of water or entry of foreign materials in Granulosum, Lucidium and Corneum.
Stratum Lucidium
4-6 layers of flattened, clear dead keratinocytes that contain large amounts of keratin and thick plasma membranes.
Stratum Corneum
25-30 layers of flattened dead keratinocytes, overlapping like skin of a snake. Constant exposure to friction may cause a CALLUS, or abnormal thickening of Corneum.
Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)
hormonelike protein that affects the rate of cell division in the Basale
psoriasis
chronic disorder when keratinocytes divide and move too quickly from basale to corneum. Immature make abnormal keratin which forms flaky, silvery scales at the skin surface. Effective treatments suppress cell division, decrease the rate of cell growth or inhibit keratinization.
Dermis
dense irregular connective tissue containing collagen and elastin - tensile strength and elastic recoil. Thicker than epidermis.
1) papillary region
2) reticular region
Papillary Region
1/5 the thickeness - thin collagen & elastin fibres. Surface area increases due to dermal papillae - small nipple-shaped structures that project into epidermis - increases bond between dermis/epidermis in areas of high stress. Contain capillary loops (blood vessels) and Meissner corpuscles (touch) and free nerve endings (warmth, coolness, pain. tickling and itching).
Reticular Region
attaches to subQ - bundles of thick collagen fibres arranged in a regular net-like pattern, scattered fibroblasts and macrophages + other wandering cells. Also includes some adipose and coarse elastic fibres.
1) blood vessels
2) nerves
3) hair follicles
4) sebaceous glands
5) sudoriferous glands
striae (stretch marks)
skin is stretched too much and lateral bonding btwn collagen fibres is disrupted, so small dermal blood vessels rupture. Eventually turn from red to silvery (scar tissue).
epidermal ridges
produced during 3rd month of fetal dev, downward projections of epidermis into the dermis between the dermal papillae - increase surface area for grip, create strong bond btwn dermis & epidermis in areas of high stress, surface area allows for more touch (Meissner) receptors for tactile sensitivity. Sweat pores on top of ridges form FINGERPRINTS (dermatoglyphics). Unique for every person.
Tension Lines (Lines of Cleavage)
indicate predominant direction of underlying collagen fibres - they tend to orient more in one direction due to natural tension resulting from bony projections, muscles and movement of joints.
Melanin
With hemoglobin & carote ne, impart variety of colours to skin. Tyrosine + Tyrosinase in melanosomes = Pheomelanin (yellow-red) and Eumelanin (brown - black), number is about the same for everyone - difference is due to amount of pigment the melanocytes produce and tx to keratinocytes. Exposure to UV increases melanin production.
Albinism
inherited inability to produce melanin - problems with vision and overexposure to sunlight.
Vitiligo
the partial or complete loss of melanocytes from patches of skin
Carotene
stored in corneum and fatty areas of dermis and subQ - precursor to vit A (used in vision pigment synthesis)