Skin Flashcards
Recall points for ‘skin’
Intro Epidermis Dermis Features of skin Glands
What is the skin ?
The largest organ in the body which contains its own nerve and blood supply
Why is the skin important clinically ?
- First organ you notice in a patient
- It has its own pathology
- It can provide evidence of underlying conditions
Examples of pathology of the skin
Sunburn
Acne
Eczema
Melanoma
Example of underlying conditions which can be seen in the skin
liver disease
What are the functions of the skin ?
Immune surveillance
UV protection
Energy store
Sensory information
What are the two layers of the skin ?
Epidermis
Dermis
What is the basic function of the epidermis ?
Prevents water loss from the surface through evaporation
What is the basic function of the dermis ?
Reduced risk of external injury
Maintains epidermis by its blood supply
permits body cooling
What is the hypodermis ?
Layer found under the dermis but not skin as it is just adipose tissue.
What is the function of the hypodermis ?
Anchors skin to underlying structures
Describe the significance of the thickness of the epidermis
Thickens varies around the body depending on the function.
Skin is thick on the hands while it is thin on the abdomen.
Which layers of the skin vary the most in thickness?
Stratum corneum and the dermis.
What are the names of the 4 cells found in the epidermis ?
Keratinocytes
Melanocytes
Langerhans cells
Merkel cells
Describe the role of Keratinocytes in the epidermis of the skin
Most frequent, contains keratin, is hard and resistant to abrasion.
Extruding lipids mean that it is water proof.
Continually dividing to repair from damage
Describe the role of Melanocytes in the epidermis of the skin
Pigment formation
Describe the role of Langerhans cells in the epidermis of the skin
Immune surveillance
Describe the role of Merkel cells in the epidermis of the skin
Touch receptors
Name the 5 layer of the epidermis
Stratum corneum Stratum lucidum Stratum granulosum Stratum spinosum Stratum basale
Describe the Stratum corneum
no organelles, flat dead cells containing keratin