Skin And Breast Flashcards
How many layers of epidermis are there
4
4 layers of epidermis
Germinative (stratum basale) layer
Spinous layer (stratum spinosum)
Narrow granular layer (stratum granulosum)
Dead keratinised squames (stratum corneum)
Germinative layer (stratum basale)
Base
Composed of a single row of cells
Spinous layer (stratum spinosum)
Thickest layer
Narrow granular layer (stratum granulosum)
Cells contain keratohyaline granules - the precursor of keratin
Dead keratinised squames (stratum corneum)
Overall thickness varies from site to site in the body to reflect the amount of abrasion occurring at the site
What layer is deep to the epidermis
Dermis
2 layers of dermis
On rich in glycosaminoglycan close to the epidermis
A deeper collagenous layer below
What other structures are found in the dermis
Roots of hairs and sweat glands that have grown down from the epidermis
Sensory nerve endings of skin- sensory transducers
Plexuses of blood vessels
Where is the keratinised layer thick
Soles of feet
Parts of hands
What is the keratinised layer thin
On parts of the abdomen and thorax
On the lips
Over some part of the external genitalia
Why is the skin on the palms of feet and hands thick
due to significant compression and abrasion
Hairless skim
Living epidermis below keratin
Generally compact
Its boundary with the underlying dermis is very ‘wavy’ creating very many dermal papillae
What are the precursors of keratin
Keratohyaline granules
Is the granular layer dark or light staining
Very dark staining
What is the most superficial living layer of the epidermis
Granular layer
What are the majority of cells in the epidermis
Keratinocytes
Keratinocytes
Derived from stem cells within the germinal layer of the epidermis that rests on a basement membrane adjacent to the dermis of the skin
Melanocytes origin
Derived from the neural crest of the embryo and migrate into the epidermis during development
Melanocytes function
Produce melanin pigment granules that are transferred to the keratinocytes of the basal and prickle cell layers of the skin
Where is melanin stored
Keratinocytes
-amount stored = proportional to colour of skin
Where is melanin produced
Melanocytes
How to identify dividing cells
Pale staining of cytoplasm
Compact nature of nuclear chromatin
Cells of spinous layer (prickle cell)
Cells are joined tightly by desmosomes that prevent the skin from splitting when stretch
If the cells shrink during processing the desmosomes connections become more evident and the cells appear spiny
What prevents the skin from splitting when stretch
Desmosomes in spinous (prickle cell) layer
Where are langerhan’s cells found
Epidermis- particularly in spinous (prickle cell) layer
Langerhan’s cells structure
Pale cytoplasm
Ovoid or irregular shaped nucleus
Langerhan’s cells function
Antigen-detecting cells, part of the immune system of the skin
Increases dramatically in number in inflammatory situatins
Where are merkel cells present
Basal layer of epidermis
Merkel cell function
Form synapses with nerve fibres in the dermis and convey the sensation of fine touch
Where does hair arise from
Germinative epithelium within the hair bulb that also contains melanocytes responsible for the pigmentation of the haur
What cells are responsible for the pigmentation of hair
Melanocytes
Where does hair lengthen
Within a root sheath composed of epidermis with the same layer of the rest of the skin but a thickened basement membrane (glassy membrane)
Glassy membrane
Thickened basement membrane of root sheath
What surrounds each hair
A collagenous follicle sheath into which is inserted an erector pili muscle (smooth muscle) that is autonomically jnnervated
Sympathetic stimulation of erector pili muscle
Causes the muscle to contact and hairs to stand on end
What opens into the hair shaft
One or more sebaceous glands that lubricate the emerging hair
Hairless follicles
Provide surface lubrication to the skin
Eg face and groin
What surrounds a hair bulb
Fatty connective tissue
What forms the nails of fingers and toes
Compacted keratin
Where do nails arise from
Nail matrix cells that are located under a fold of skin (eponychium or cuticle) at proximal end of nail
Lunula
A pale crescent of nail matrix cells seen through the semi-transparent nail near the cuticle
Hyponychium
Nail lengthens across the epidermal nail bed to which it remains firmly attached except at the distal end where it underlain by a fold of skin (hyponychium)
Result of destruction of the nail matrix
Permanent loss of the nail
Outer layer of dermis
Closest to epidermis
Contains collagen and elastic fibres (fibrous layer)
Deeper layer of dermis
Contains much adipose tissue (fatty layer)
What is the most common sweat gland
Eccrine sweat glands
Eccrine sweat glands
Consist of a tightly coiled knot of fluid-secreting cells and a straight duct lined by simple cuboidal epithelium
Duct extends to the surface of the skin
Coiled secretory portion is surrounded by flattened myoepithelia cells
Myoepithelial cells
Contractile cells that surround the coiled part of the eccrine sweat glands and help to expel sweat
Lining of duct of eccrine sweat glands
Simple cuboidal epithelium
Apocrine sweat glands
Produce pheromone
Found in armpits, around the anus and on external genitalka
Which cells produce pheromone
Apocrine sweat glands
Which 2 types of sensory transducers can be easily detected
Pacinian corpuscle
Meissner’s corpuscle
Pacinian corpuscle
Large structure with a nerve ending at its core
Meissner’s corpuscle
Numerous and have a spiral appearance
Located mainly in the dermal papillae
What stain is used to stain nerves black
Osmium tetroxide
Function of a Pacinian corpuscle
Pressure sensor mostly in dermis of skin
Can be found in other organs eg pancreas
What does a Pacinian corpuscle look like
Oniom
Eyelids
Covered on the outside by thin hairy skin with a row of prominent eyelashes at its margin
Sweat glands discharge on to the outside surface
Inside of the eyelid is lined by a moist conjunctiva consisting of a stratified columnar epithelium composed of 2 layers of cells