Pathology of the Integumentary System, Pt. 2 Flashcards
What are the 5 major components of the skin?
- epidermis
- basement membrane zone
- dermis
- adnexal structures - hair follicles, apocrine glands, eccrine glands, sebaceous glands, arrector pili muscles
- subcutis
In what areas does the skin lack subcutis?
- cheek
- eyelid
- anus
- external ear
What are the 4 layers of the epidermis?
- stratum Corneum
- stratum Granulosum (purple granules)
- stratum Spinosum
- stratum Basale (adhered to BM)
BM —> dermis
(come get some beer)
Skin histology:
What type of epithelium is the skin? What are the major 4 cell types?
keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
- keratinocytes (85%)
- Langerhans cells (3-8%) - communicates with T cells
- melanocytes (5%) - pigmentation
- Merkel cells (2%) - mechanoreceptors
What are 3 major functions of keratinocytes?
- permeability barrier - hydrophobic
- structural support
- immunoregulation - secretes cytokines to communicate with Langerhans cells
How do keratinocytes provide structural support?
contain keratin, which is an intermediate filament that is able to connect to desmosomes
How can intermediate filaments be used for diagnostic purposes? What do abnormalities in keratin lead to?
epithelial-derived neosplasm can be stained for keratin for diagnosis
cornification defects
How do the cells in the epidermis compare in each layer?
differentiates and loses nuclei from bottom to top (modified apoptosis), exfoliating the most differentiated keratinocytes about every 21 days
What are lamellar bodies?
secretory organelles in keratinocytes present between the stratum corneum and stratum granulosum that contain hydrolytic enzymes, phospholipids, ceramides, glycosyl ceramides, and sterols to form an impermeable, lipid-containing membrane that serves as a water barrier and is required for correct skin barrier function
(brick and mortar)
What is hyperkeratosis? What are 2 causes?
abnormality of cornification where there is excessive thickening (hyperplasia) of the stratum corneum
- PRIMARY: mutation in lipids, enzymes, or structural proteins (ichthyosis)
- SECONDARY: chronic irritation (allergic skin disease, endocrine disorders, parasitic/bacterial infections)
What is the difference between orthokeratosis and parakeratosis?
ORTHOKERATOSIS: keratinocytes undergo complete cornification and thus lose their nucleus
PARAKERATOSIS: keratinocytes undergo partial/incomplete cornification and retain their nucleus (nuclei Persist)
What is ichthyosis? Which breed of dog does it have a strong predilection for? What causes it in this breed?
congenital and/or hereditary defects in the formation of the stratum corneum
Golden retriever - ICH-1 and ICH-2 mutation
What is the symptom of Golden retriever ichthyosis? What is seen histologically?
generalized scaling of the trunk
lamellar orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis
What is primary seborrhea? Why is it controversial?
excessive scaling
NOT a diagnosis —> need to rule out other causes of scaling, like ectoparasitism, metabolic disease, endocrinopathies, allergic disease
What does primary seborrhea likely represent?
variety of conditions, such as pyoderma, Malassezia dermatitis, sebaceous adenitis, allergic dermatitis, vitamin A-responsive dermatosis
What is epidermal hyperplasia? What is it a common response of?
(acanthosis)
thickening due to an increased number of cells within the epidermis, especially of the stratum spinosum
chronic irritation, like inflammation, trauma, metabolic or nutritional disorders (acral lick dermatitis)
What is acral lick dermatitis? What causes it?
(acral lick granuloma)
multifactorial disorder of dogs often associated with underlying diseases, such as atopy, food allergy, trauma, endocrinopathy, bone pain, neuropathy, or behavioral causes
chronic focal trauma and/or secondary deep pyoderma
What is the presentation of acral lick dermatitis? What needs to be addressed?
focal alopecic, firm, raised plaque or nodule on the dorsal carpus or dorsolateral metatarsus
Why is the dog licking?
- food allergy, trauma, infection, behavior
What is the difference between apoptosis and necrosis?
APOPTOSIS: programmed cell death caused by physiologic processes and immune-mediated disease (erythema multiforme, cutaneous lupus)
NECROSIS: death of cells characterized by nuclear pyknosis, karyorrhexis, or karyolysis, caused by physical injury, chemical injury, or ischemia (photosensitization)
Apoptotic cell:
What is the difference between intercellular and intracellular edema? How does the position of the cells affect intracellular edema?
INTERCELLULAR: spongiosis, edema between cells, causing desmosomes to expand
INTRACELLULAR: edema within the cell
- SUPERFICIAL: ballooning degeneration (viral infection)
- BASAL: hydropic degeneration (cutaneous lupus erythematosus)
What is epidermal atrophy? What is the most common cause?
epidermis becomes thinner due to cellular shrinkage, which can cause underlying vessels seem superficial and dilated
hormonal imbalances —> hyperadrenocorticism (Cushings)
What is acantholysis? In what 2 conditions is it commonly seen?
disruption of intercellular junctions (desmosomes) between keratinocytes of the epidermis
- pemphigus foliaceus
- pemphigus vulgaris
What is seen clinically in acantholysis? How does it compare in pemphigus foliaceus and vulgaris?
vesicle and bullae
PF: subcorneal (under stratum corneum)
PV: suprabasal (only one layer of keratinocytes on BM)