Skin function, epidermis Flashcards
skin as physical barrier (3)
- prevention of water, electrolyte, macromolecule loss
- prevention of invasion by external agents (chemical, physical, microbial)
- anatomic (atratum corneum, hair)
skin as physiologic barrier (2)
- turnover rate (30-45 days for keratinocyte to go from basal layer to surface)
- sebum (bacteriostatic, fungistatic)
skin as immunologic barrier
-keratinocytes, langerhans cells (macrophages), and lymphocytes provide the skin with an immunosurveillance capability that effectively protects against the development of cutaneous neoplasms and persistent infections
skin microbial flora
- normal bacteria inhibit the growth of pathogens and compete with pathogens for nutrients/space
- fungal, viral phyla protect skin against pathogens
skin and communication
- sensory: primary sense organ for touch, pressure, pain, itch, heat, cold
- immunologic: langerhans cells present antigen to lymphocytes in regional lymph nodes
skin and temperature regulation (4)
- hair coat
- cutaneous blood supply
- subcutaneous fat
- sweat glands (horses - apocrine, dogs/cats - eccrine in footpads)
skin and secretion
secretory organ by virtue of apocrine, eccrine, and sebaceous glands
skin and storage
reservoir of electrolytes, water, vitamins, fat, carbs, proteins, and other materials
skin and pigmentation
- melanin formation, vascularization, and keratinization help determine the color of the skin/coat
- pigmentation protects from solar radiation damage (UV light)
skin and vitamin D production
vitamin D produced in skin through stimulation by solar radiation
akin and adnexa production
skin produces keratinized structures such as hairs, nails, claws, hooves, and the horny layer of the epidermis
skin as an indicator
may be an indicator of general health and internal diseases
skin and motion/shape
- flexibility, elasticity, and toughness allow motion, provide shape and form
- many species differences as to structure and function of skin
4 main skin regions
- epidermis
- dermal-epithelial junction
- dermis
- hypodermis/subcutaneous tissue
what are epidermally derived appendages
- hair follicles
- sebaceous glands
- apocrine sweat glands
- eccrine sweat glands
- nails/claws/hooves
layers of the epidermis (inner to outer)
- stratum basale (basal layer)
- stratum spinosum (spinous layer)
- stratum granulosum (granular layer)
- stratum lucidum (clear layer)
- stratum corneum (horny layer)
cells in basal layer
cuboidal cells called keratinocytes (90%), melanocytes (10%), and merkel cells (1%)
what is important about basal layer
site of cell division (mitosis)
how are basal cells attached to basement membrane zone
hemidesmosomes
cell to cell attachments in basal layer - what are they?
desmosomes (in between keratinocytes): junctions which can breakdown and reform to allow other cells to pass between keratinocytes and allow keratinocytes to move upward in epidermis to become keratinized and form stratum corneum
why are desmosomes important to us
they are the target antigen for the most common autoimmune skin diseases of domestic species called pemphigus foliaceus (also the target antigen for other forms of pemphigus)
what is stratum spinosum composed of
the daughter cells of the stratum basale
layers in stratum spinosum
- number of layers varies between species and within the animal
- tends to be 1-3 layers thick in hairy skin
- thickest layer of the skin
- thicker in footpads, nasal planum, and mucocutaneous junctions (20 layers)