Integumentary Sytem Flashcards
Master the skin.
What is the integumentary organ system?
A body system comprised of the cutaneous membrane (skin), hair, nails, associated glands, and the subcutaneous tissue. It functions include: protection against injury and infection, thermoregulation, sensory perception, regulation of water loss, and chemical synthesis.
What is a serous membrane?
A type of membrane that lines the body cavities that lack openings to the outside. They form the inner linings of the thorax and abdomen, and they cover organs within these cavities.
What is the definition of squamous?
Relating to, consisting of, or denoting a layer of epithelium that consists of very thin flattened cells.
What is a mucous membrane?
A type of membrane that lines the cavities and tubes that open to the outside of the body, including the oral and nasal cavities, and the tubes of the digestive, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive systems.
What is a synovial membrane?
A type of membrane that forms the inner linings of the joint cavities between the ends of bones at freely movable joints (synovial joints).
What is the cutaneous membrane?
An organ in the integumentary organ system more commonly known as the skin.
What is the epidermis?
The outer layer of skin that is composed of stratified squamous epithelium and lacks blood vessels.
What is the dermis?
The inner layer of skin that is thicker than the epidermis and contains fibrous connective tissue, epithelial tissue, smooth muscle tissue, nervous tissue, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and blood vessels.
What is the subcutaneous layer?
Also called the hypodermis, this is a layer of tissues beneath the dermis that is comprised primarily of loose connective tissue and adipose tissue that bind the skin to underlying organs.
What is psoriasis?
A chronic, non-infectious skin disease in which cells in the epidermis divide 3 to 4 times more frequently than normal.
What are keratinocytes?
Older cells that produce keratin and make up 90% of epidermal cells.
What is the stratum corneum?
The outermost layer of the epidermis that is made up of 25 to 30 layers of tough, tightly packed, fully keratinized, and non-nucleated dead cells.
What is the stratum lucidum?
A layer between the stratum corneum and stratum granulosum that is found only on the soles and palms (thick skin).
What is the stratum granulosum?
A layer of the epidermis found beneath the stratum corneum, consisting of 3-5 layers of keratinocytes undergoing apoptosis.
What is the stratum spinosum?
A layer of the epidermis found under the stratum granulosum, consisting of 8 to 10 layers of cells with centrally located, large, oval nuclei.
What is the stratum basale?
The deepest layer of the epidermis, made up of a single layer of cuboidal or columnar keratinocytes that undergo mitosis and grow.
What are calluses?
Thickened areas of the skin that occur when the skin is rubbed or pressed regularly.
What are corns?
Horny, conical masses on the toes when poorly fitting shoes rub the skin.
What are melanocytes?
Cells of the stratum basale that synthesize the dark pigment melanin.
What are papillae?
Fingerlike oscillations in the basement membrane that pass into the spaces between cutaneous ridges.
What are Pacinian (Lamellar) corpuscles?
A type of dermal sensory receptor that is stimulated by heavy pressure and can sense vibration changes deep in the skin.
What are Meissner’s corpuscles?
Sensory receptors located in dermal papillae that are sensitive to light touch.
What are thermoreceptors?
Temperature receptors, including heat receptors and cold receptors.
What is sunburn?
An erythema resulting from excessive ultraviolet radiation, which denatures collagen and elastin while dilating blood vessels.
What are first-degree burns?
Burns that affect only the outer layer (epidermis) of the skin, causing pain, redness, and swelling.
What are second-degree burns?
Burns that affect both the outer (epidermis) and underlying layer (dermis) of skin, characterized by the presence of blisters.
What are third-degree burns?
Burns that affect all of the dermis and sometimes even the deep layers beyond the skin, resulting in black or white burned skin.
What are minor burns?
A category of burns that includes first-degree burns anywhere on the body and second-degree burns less than 2-3 inches wide.
What are major burns?
A category of burns that includes third-degree burns and second-degree burns more than 2-3 inches wide.
What is chicken pox (Varicella)?
A type of rash in which tiny pustules start on the back, chest, or scalp and spread for 3 or 4 days.
What is impetigo?
A bacterial rash characterized by thin-walled blisters and thick, crusted, yellow lesions.
What is Lyme disease?
A large rash resembling a bull’s-eye usually on the thighs or trunk.
What is scarlet fever?
A rash resembling sunburn with goose bumps that begins below the ears and spreads to the abdomen, limbs, and face.
What is shingles?
A rash characterized by small, clear blisters that appear on inflamed skin.
What is a hair follicle?
A tubelike depression that extends from the surface into the dermis in which a hair grows.
What is folliculitis?
An inflammation of the hair follicles in response to bacterial infection.
What is melanin?
A pigment that determines both skin and hair color and protects cells against ultraviolet damage.
What is albinism?
An inherited condition in which the skin and hair is nonpigmented due to a mutant melanin gene.
What is trichosiderin?
An iron pigment that renders hair red.
What is the arrector pili muscle?
A bundle of smooth muscle cells attached to each hair follicle that produces goose bumps.
What are nails?
Protective coverings on the ends of the fingers and toes made of packed, hard, keratinized cells.
What is the nail plate?
A covering produced by specialized epithelial cells that overlies the nail bed.
What is the nail bed?
The surface of the skin beneath the nail plate.
What is the lunula?
The whitish, thickened, half-moon-shaped region at the base of the nail that is the most actively growing region of the nail plate.
What are sebaceous glands?
Glands in the dermis that contain groups of specialized epithelial cells and are usually associated with hair follicles.
What is sebum?
A mixture of fats, cholesterol, proteins, inorganic salts, and pheromones that helps keep the hair and skin pliable.
What is acne?
A disorder of the sebaceous glands in which the glands are overactive or inflamed.
What are sweat glands (sudoriferous glands)?
Glands that secrete sweat and consist of a tiny tube that originates as a ball-shaped coil in the deeper dermis or superficial subcutaneous layer.
What are eccrine glands?
Also called merocrine sweat glands, these respond throughout life to body temperature elevated by environmental heat or physical exercise.
What is a pore?
The small tiny openings in the skin where sweat is secreted by a tube.
What are apocrine glands?
Certain sweat glands that produce scented fluid containing both lipids and proteins.
What is cyanosis?
The presence of a blue tint to skin, visible if a person stops breathing or has low blood oxygen concentration.
What is jaundice?
A condition in newborns characterized by slightly yellowish skin due to a buildup of bilirubin.
What is inflammation?
A normal response to injury or stress that results in swelling, redness, heat, and pain.
What is a birthmark?
A vascular or skin tumor of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, visible at birth or soon after.
What is a boil?
A bacterial infection of a hair follicle and/or sebaceous glands.
What is bilirubin?
A yellowish pigment that is normally processed by the liver and deposited into the small intestine for excretion.
What is inflammation?
A normal response to injury or stress that results in swelling, redness, heat, and pain due to vasodilation.
What is a carbuncle?
A bacterial infection, similar to a boil, that spreads into the subcutaneous tissues.
What is a cyst?
A liquid-filled sac or capsule.
What is eczema?
A noncontagious skin rash often accompanied by itching, blistering, and scaling.
What is erythema?
Reddening of the skin due to dilation of dermal blood vessels in response to various factors.
What is herpes?
An infectious disease of the skin usually caused by the herpes simplex virus, characterized by recurring formations of small clusters of vesicles.
What is a keloid?
An elevated, enlarging fibrous scar usually initiated by an injury.
What is a mole?
Also called a nevus, this is a fleshy skin tumor that is usually pigmented; colors range from brown to black.
What is pediculosis?
A disease produced by an infestation of lice.
What is pruritus?
Itching of the skin.
What is a pustule?
An elevated, pus-filled area.
What is scabies?
A disease resulting from an infestation of mites.
What is seborrhea?
Hyperactivity of the sebaceous glands, accompanied by greasy skin and dandruff.
What is an ulcer?
An open sore.
What is urticaria?
An allergic reaction of the skin that produces reddish, elevated patches (hives).
What is a wart?
Also called a veruca. A flesh-colored, raised area caused by a viral infection by HPV.
What is vitiligo?
An autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks melanocytes, causing the pigment to be lost from areas of the skin.
What are the ABCDE signs?
A method of assessing a skin lesion suspected of being a malignant melanoma: A-asymmetry, B-border, C-color, D-diameter, E-evolution.
What is tyrosinase?
An enzyme essential to the melanin synthesis pathway, catalyzing the conversion of tyrosine to dopa and dopa to dopaquinone.
What are melanosomes?
Organelles that are the cellular site of synthesis, storage, and transport of melanin.
What is eumelanin?
One of the two types of melanin, dark brown or black, providing protection against ultraviolet radiation.