Skin and Membranes

Question 1

What are the 2 main categories of membranes in the body?

Answer 1

a. Epithelial
b. Connective

Question 2

Which of the body’s membranes are types of epithelial membranes?

Answer 2

Cutaneous membrane
Serous membrane, and
Mucous membrane

Question 3

What fluid(s) is/are produced by serous, mucous, and synovial membranes?
What is the function of each fluid?

Answer 3

a. Serous: Secretes a thin, watery fluid that helps reduce friction and serves as a lubricant when organs rub against one another and against the walls of the cavities that contain them
b. Mucous: Secretes a thick, slimy material called mucus that keeps the membranes moist and soft
c. Synovial: Secretes a thick, colorless lubricating fluid that helps reduce friction between the opposing surfaces of bones in movable joints

Question 4

What is the mucocutaneous junction?

Answer 4

used to describe the transitional area that serves as a point of “fusion” where skin and mucous membranes meet.

Question 5

What are the 2 major layers of the skin?

Answer 5

Epidermis and dermis

Question 6

Where in the skin would you find layers of dead, keratinized cells?

Answer 6

Stratum corneum

Question 7

How is hair formed?

Answer 7

Cells of the epidermal layer skin grow down into dermis,
forming a small tube called the hair follicle.
Growth begins from a small, cap-shaped cluster of cells called hair papilla (located at base of follicle)

As long as cells in papilla of hair follicle remain alive, new hair will replace any that is cut or plucked.

Question 8

Where in the skin would you find sensory nerve receptors?

Answer 8

Meissner corpuscle, Pacini corpuscle, and Krause end bulbs

Question 9

Name 5 accessory structures of the skin.

Answer 9

a. hair
b. arrector pili muscle
c. nails
d. skin receptors
e. sweat “sudoriferous” glands (eccrine and apocrine)
f. oil “sebaceous” glands

Question 10

What are the five most important functions of the skin?

Answer 10

Protection, temperature regulation, sense organ activity, excretion, vitamin D synthesis

Question 11

What sensory stimuli can be detected by the skin?

Answer 11

Light touch, deep pressure, pain, heat, and cold, to name a few

Question 12

When referring to burns, what is meant by the “rule of nines”?
How can the skin surface area covered by a burn be estimated?

Answer 12

The “rule of nines” is the most commonly used method of determining the extent of a burn. The body is divided into 11 areas, each covering approximately 9% of the total body surface area, with the area around the genitals representing the additional 1%.

Question 13

How do first-degree, second-degree, third-degree, and fourth-degree burns differ?

Answer 13

a. First-degree burn: Minor discomfort and some reddening of the skin. An example might be a typical sunburn.
b. Second-degree burn: Blisters, severe pain, generalized swelling, and fluid loss are characteristic of this type of burn. Scarring is common.
c. Third-degree burn: Characterized by complete destruction of the epidermis and dermis. These burns may involve underlying muscles and even bone.
d. Fourth-degree burn: Extends below the subcutaneous tissue to reach muscle or bone. Treatment may require extensive skin grafting and even amputation of limbs.

Question 14

How do basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma differ?

Answer 14

a. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer. It usually appears on the upper face and is much less likely to metastasize than other types.
b. Squamous cell carcinoma is a slow-growing malignant tumor of the epidermis. If not treated, squamous cell carcinomas will grow in size and eventually metastasize.
c. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. This type of cancer sometimes develops from a benign or noncancerous pigmented mole and then transforms into a dark, spreading cancerous lesion.

Question 15

Define membrane, and name the 2 major categories of body membranes.

Question 16

Describe the structure and function of the cutaneous membrane.

Answer 16

• (description)
  Line of defence

Question 17

Explain the structure and function of a serous membrane.
Identify the difference between the parietal and visceral layers and the difference between the pleura and pericardium.

Question 18

Explain the structure and function of mucous membrane and include an explanation of the mucocutaneous junction.

Question 19

Explain the structure of a synovial membrane.
What is the function of synovial fluid?

Question 20

Name and briefly describe the layers of the epidermis.

Question 21

Explain the structure of the dermis.

Question 22

Differentiate between the hair papilla, hair root, and hair shaft.

Question 23

Explain what occurs when the arrector pili contact.

Question 24

Name the four receptors of the skin.
To what type of stimulus does each respond?

Question 25

Give the function and location of the apocrine glands, and describe the type of fluid they produce.

Question 26

What are five primary functions of the skin?

Question 27

Explain the difference between second-degree and third-degree burns.
Which is considered a “full-thickness” burn?

Question 28

Explain the protective function of melanin.

Question 29

Explain fully the role of the skin in temperature regulation.

Question 30

If a person burned all of his back, the back of his right thigh, approximately what percentage of his body surface area would be involved?
How did you determine this?

Question 31

Jimmy recently had a carcinoma removed from his face. His doctor performed a biopsy, and the report came back with the following information: small lesion with center erosion; no metastasis noted.
What type of skin cancer does this description suggest?