Intro to Disorders of the Skin Flashcards
What are the functions of skin?
Mechanical barrier Immunological organ Homeostasis Sensory and endocrine Psychological
What are the two layers of the dermis?
Papillary and reticular layer
What are adnexal structures?
Sebaceous glands, sweat glands, hair follicles
What function do melanocytes have?
Create and transfer melanin to keratinized cells
What are Langerhans cells?
Dendritic cells found in the epidermis
What are the three compartments for pathologic considerations?
Epidermis and skin adnexa
Melanocytic system
Dermis and subcutis
What are common nonneoplastic pigmentation disorders?
Freckles (ephelis)
Lentigo
What is the difference between freckles and lentigo?
Freckles: increase in the degree of pigmentation (not amount of cells)
Lentigo: increase in the number of melanocytes
What is a neoplastic benign disorder?
Melanocytic nevus (mole)
What are the three types of melanocytic nevus?
Junctional (D-E junction)
Compound (vertical growth down into dermis)
Intradermal
What are two neoplastic malignant disorder of melanocytes?
Dysplastic Nevi
Malignant Melanoma
What is important consider when looking at possible neoplastic cells?
Larger than normal nuclei and an increased nucleus/cytoplasm ratio
Where is malignant melanoma found?
Skin, mucosa, meninges, uvea of eye
What are the four ways to describe a melanoma?
Asymmetry, irregular borders, variations in color, diameter increase
What are two types of benign tumors?
Seborrheic keratoses
Fibroepithelial polyp
What is characteristic of seborrheic keratoses?
Coin-like waxy
Can be paraneoplastic syndrome
What is a fibroepithelial polyp?
Skin tag
What are premalignant tumors of the skin?
Actinic keratosis (can lead to squamous cell carcinoma)
What does actinic keratosis present like?
Rough sand-papery feel can develop a horn like projection hyper keratosis
What are two types of malignant skin tumors?
Squamous cell carcinoma (UV radiation)
Basal cell carcinoma
What is a blister?
Separation in epidermis typically with fluid
What are the three types of blisters?
Subcorneal
Suprabasal
Subepidermal
What are two blistering diseases?
Pemphigus vulgaris
Bullous pemphigoid
What is pemphigus vulgaris?
IgG auto reactive antibodies attack desmosome components; shallow so rupture easily; net like pattern; suprabasal blisters
What is bullous pemphigoid?
Elderly individuals autoantibodies against hemidesmosome components; sub-epidermal non-acantholytic blisters
Difference between desmosomes and hemidesmosomes
Desmosomes: adjacent cell connections
Hemidesmosomes: cell connections to basement membrane
