Introduction Flashcards
Describe the structure of the epidermis.
BM>stratum basale(proliferation)>stratum spinosum(differentiation)>stratum granulosum>stratum corneum.
What are the granules in the cells present in the stratum granulosum?
Enzymes involved with the breakdown of the cytoskeleton
What is the appearance of the stratum corneum on a histological stain?
It has a basket-weave appearance
What is a possible reason for dogs suffering more from bacterial skin disease than cats?
They produce less sebaceous secretions.
What are the properties of skin that allow it to allow motion and what chemicals allow this?
Flexibility, elasticity and toughness. All through collagen and some elastin filaments.
What sensory fibres are present in the skin and what are they for?
Plexuses of nerve fibres.
Free nerve endings for sensing pain and itching
Merkel cells/corpuscles for touch and vibration sensitivity.
How is temperature regulated in the skin?
Through sweating, the hair coat (piloerection) and regulation of blood supply.
What type of motor innervation controls components of the skin?
Sympathetic
What are the two types of sweat gland?
Appocrine (within the hair follicle) and eccrine (which are responsive to epinepherine)
Other than thermoregulation, what are the other functions of sweat?
It is antimicrobial.
It can also convey pheramones and things like the mammary cells are just modified sweat glands.
What is the role of pigmentation?
UV protection
Camouflage
Social Recognition
In which animals are hair follicles compound?
Dogs & cats. (ruminants, horse and man have simple hair follicles)
Summarise the general properties/functions of the skin
- Enclose the body
- water etc. kept in
- microbes/chemicals kept out - Produce hoofs, horns etc.
- Thermoregulation
- Sweat
- Storage and metabolism
- e.g. vit D production
- Pigmentation
- Immunological protection
