Skin, Nails and Hair Flashcards
(40 cards)
What is the name of system that comprises of the skin and its associated components such as the hair and nails?
Integumentary
The skin is one of the largest _______ of the body, covering the majority of the outside area of the individual.
Organ
What are the functions of the skin? (8)
- Provides a protective barrier between the inner body and the external environment. It offers the first level of non-specific resistance.
- Regulates temperature. Sweating and increasing the blood flow to the skin cools the body. Decreasing the blood flow to the skin, and raising the hair on the surface of the skin, insulates it.
- Provides sensitivity via the skin’s sensory nerve endings and receptors so that temperature, pressure and pain can be detected.
- Allows the excretion of water, heat, some toxic waste and small amounts of salt.
- Allows the secretion of sebum.
- Provides a reservoir of blood that can be used elsewhere if required.
- Synthesizes vitamin D when stimulated by ultra-violet light.
- Allows the absorption of certain substances, although it is generally impermeable.
The skin is made up of three main layers. Name them.
The top layer of the skin is the epidermis** (epi- = above, dermis = skin). Under the epidermis is the **dermis**. The deepest part of the skin is the **subcutaneous layer (sub- = under, cutaneous = pertaining to the skin).

Epidermis offers the body a _______(a)_________? There are no ___(b)____ or ____(c)_____.
The epidermis is composed of 4 types of cells and has 5 layers. This complex cellular structure allows new cells to be continually produced to replace those that get worn away and facilitates the healing of damaged skin. The new cells are produced in the deepest epidermal layer and then push up to the surface. The top layer consists of flat, dead cells that are continually shed but replaced.
Epidermis offers the body a _(a)_waterproof protective coating_There are no _(b)_blood vessels_ or _(c)_nerve endings_.
a) waterproof protective coating.
b) blood vessels
c) nerve endings
The epidermis is composed of epithelium. The epidermal cells are closely packed and arranged in layers. There are 4 types of epidermal cell, name and describe them:
Keratinocytes
- make up about 90% of the epidermis.
- They produce keratin. Keratin is a protein that helps to waterproof and protect the skin.
- As cells make their way up through the epidermis, they form more and more keratin. By the time the cells reach the surface of the skin they are completely filled with keratin. This process is called keratinization.
Melanocytes
- Make up about 8% of the epidermis.
- Melanocytes produce melanin.
- Melanin is a brown-black pigment that contributes to skin colour.
- Melanocytes have long, thin projections that transfer granules of melanin to the keratinocytes.
Langerhans cells
- Originate in the bone marrow and migrate to the epidermis.
- they play a part in immune response because they have the ability to recognise certain antigens.
Merkel cells
- Are found in the deepest layer of the epidermis of hairless skin.
- They make contact with sensory neurons and are thought to have a part to play in the sensation of touch.
Keratinocytes
- Make up about 90% of the epidermis.
- They produce keratin.
- Keratin is a protein that helps to waterproof and protect the skin.
- As cells make their way up through the epidermis, they form more and more keratin. By the time the cells reach the surface of the skin they are completely filled with keratin. This process is called keratinization.
Melanocytes
- Make up about 8% of the epidermis.
- Produce melanin.
- Melanin is a brown-black pigment that contributes to skin colour.
- Have long, thin projections that transfer granules of melanin to the keratinocytes.
Langerhans cells
- Originate in the bone marrow and migrate to the epidermis.
- They play a part in immune responses because they have the ability to recognize certain antigens.
Merkel cells
- Are found in the deepest layer of the epidermis of hairless skin.
- They make contact with sensory neurons and are thought to have a part to play in the sensation of touch.
In most areas, the epidermis is about _____ thick and consists of 4 layers. Where the skin is exposed to the most friction (e.g. soles of the feet and palms of the hands) it consists of 5 layers and is ______ deep.
Name the 5 layers from deepest to surface and identify the extra layer found in areas of friction.
a) 0.1mm
b) 1-2mm
Stratum basale, Stratum spinosum, Stratum granulosum, Stratum lucidum (extra) and Stratum corneum.
This graphic represents the 5 layers of the epidermis. The surface layer is the stratum corneum. The deepest layer is the stratum basale.

Stratum basale
- (or stratum germinativum or basal cell layer) consists of just 1 layer of cells.
- It contains stem cells, melanocytes and Merkel cells (hairless skin only).
- The stem cells continually divide to produce keratinocytes, which push up towards the surface.
- Some stem cells migrate into the dermis and form sweat glands, sebaceous glands and hair follicles.
Stratum spinosum
- or prickle cell layer.
- This layer consists of 8-10 layers of cells, closely packed together.
- The long, thin projections of melanocytes extend among keratinocytes. This enables the melanocytes to transfer melanin to the keratinocytes.
Stratum granulosum
- (or granular layer)
- Consists of 3-5 layers of flattened keratinocytes, whose nuclei are in various stages of degeneration.
- These cells have begun the keratinization process. They contain granules of keratohyalin, a compound produced in the first step of keratin formation.
Stratum lucidum
- or clear layer)
- This layer only exits in places where the skin is thickest, such as on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
- It consists of 3-5 rows of clear, flat, dead cells. These cells contain a substance, formed from keratohyalin, which is eventually transformed into keratin.
Stratum corneum
- (or horny layer)
- The top stratum of the epidermis contains 25-30 rows of flat, dead cells.
- They are completely filled with keratin.
- These cells are continually shed and replaced by cells that are being pushed up from the lower strata.
- A protective barrier against light, heat, bacteria and many chemicals.
- Under the epidermis is the dermis - the second major layer of the skin. The dermis is ___(a)___ than the epidermis, ___(b)__ and _______.
- It is composed of what?
- The dermis contains what?
- Under the epidermis is the dermis - the second major layer of the skin. The dermis is _(a)_thicker__ than the epidermis, _(b)_tough_ and _elastic_.
- The dermis is composed of connective tissue,
- The dermis contains: collagen (a protein) and elastic fibres. Also blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerve endings, sebaceous (oil) glands, sweat glands and ducts, hair follicles and hairs.

- The upper portion of the dermis is called the ? Describe:
- The lower portion is called the ? Describe:
- Papillary region.
- It consists of connective tissue that contains fine elastic fibres.
- The papillary region is characterized by small, finger-like projections called dermal papillae that indent the epidermis. Dermal papillae can contain loops of capillaries and nerve endings that are sensitive to touch.
- Reticular region.
- It contains connective tissue and a network of collagen fibres and coarse elastic fibres.
- These fibres provide the skin with strength, extensibility and elasticity.
- The reticular region contains the hair follicles, nerves, sebaceous (oil) glands and ducts, and sweat glands.
- Sweat glands play an important role in ________________.
- Sweat, containing a mixture of _______________________ _____________________________,
- is secreted from the ___________ and
- travels up the ____ _______.
- When the duct reaches the surface of the epidermis it forms a ___ from which the sweat is released.
- Sweat glands play an important role in _temperature control_. They release sweat which removes heat from the body.
- Sweat, containing a mixture of _water, salts, urea, uric acid, amino acids, ammonia, sugar, lactic acid and ascorbic acid_,
- is secreted from the _coiled gland_ and
- travels up the _sweat duct_.
- When the duct reaches the surface of the epidermis it forms a _Pore_ from which the sweat is released.
There are two types of sweat gland, name them & describe:
Eccrine glands
- Most sweat glands are eccrine.
- They release the sweat directly onto the surface of the skin.
- They are distributed throughout the body except for the lips, nail beds and parts of the external genitals.
- They are most numerous on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet and under the arms.
Apocrine glands
- open onto hair follicles and secrete a more viscous secretion than the eccrine glands.
- They are found mainly under the arms, in the genital areas and on the areolae of the breasts.
- begin to function at puberty and are stimulated during emotional stress and sexual excitement.
- The subcutaneous layer connects the dermis to the underlying tissues (e.g. muscle or bone). It consists mainly of which two tissue?
- The subcutaneous layer also contains many ______?
- Pressure sensitive ____________ are also located in the subcutaneous layer.
- adipose and areolar tissue. Adipose tissue insulates, protects and is an energy store. Areolar tissue protects, supports and connects the skin to the underlying structures.
- subcutaneous layer also contains many blood vessels.
- Pressure sensitive nerve endings are also located here.

There are a variety of skin colours. Skin colour is affected by the presence of three pigments:
Melanin
- is located mostly in the epidermis.
- It varies the skin colour from pale yellow to black.
- The more melanin the melanocytes produce and transfer to the keratinocytes, the darker the skin.
- Melanin-filled cells can cluster in patches to form freckles or, in older people, liver spots.
- Melanin is also a major contributor to the colour of the hair.
- Melanin absorbs ultra-violet (UV) light. When stimulated by UV light, melanin granules in the keratinocytes form protective shields over the nuclei, protecting the genetic material from being damaged.
- Exposure to UV light also increases melanin production. This both darkens the skin and further protects the cells.
Carotene
- Carotene is located mainly in the dermis.
- It is a yellow-orange pigment. The less melanin in the epidermis, the more the colour of carotene can be seen.
Haem
- Haemoglobin is found in red blood cells. It contains a red pigment called haem.
- As the blood flows through the capillaries in the dermis, the red colour can be seen, providing there is not too much melanin in the epidermis.
The health and appearance of the skin is affected by:
-
Diet,
- nutritionally balanced diet helps the skin to grow and repair and therefore skin condition will be lost if essential nutrients are not available.
- If the body becomes dehydrated the skin becomes dry and toxins build up and so it is important to drink adequate amounts of water and avoid the excessive consumption of alcohol.
-
Lifestyle
- Like most other parts of the body, the skin will suffer in cases of sleep deprivation and excessive stress. The skin needs rest to regenerate and excessive tension can cause skin sensitivities and create lines.
- Exercise promotes circulation, increasing the supply of nutrients to the skin.
- Smoking has the opposite effect – it causes vasoconstriction and also releases chemicals that destroy vitamins that are vital to the health of the skin
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Environmental factors,
- Skin damage can be caused by contact with various chemicals (such as detergents). These chemicals can remove the sebum from the skin and so cause dehydration.
- Skin condition can also be affected by the climate, air pollutants, and some medications.
- Ultra-violet radiation can cause serious skin damage. It can burn, dehydrate and damage the collagen and elastin fibres, resulting in wrinkling and sagging or serious skin conditions including cancer.
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Skin type - there are 5 main types
- Dry -
- Oily
- Normal
- Sensitive
- Combination
- and, of course, Age
Skin type - there are 5 main types:
Dry Skin
- Caused by underactive or inactive sebaceous glands.
- Usually has a dull appearance and it feels dry and itchy and may also be sensitive.
Oily Skin
- Caused by overactive sebaceous glands.
- The excessive quantity of sebum results in skin that has a greasy, slippery texture.
- Appears shiny and frequently has large, clogged pores.
Normal (Balanced) Skin
- The sebaceous glands produce sebum at a moderate rate, resulting in skin that is not too oily and not too dry.
- Normal skin looks consistently plump, moist, and vibrant.
Sensitive Skin
- Can be dry, oily or normal.
- Reacts excessively to environmental conditions and substances that it comes into contact with.
- When sensitive skin reacts, it becomes sore and may appear flushed.
Combination Skin
- Most people have more than one type skin - even on just one area of the body. Facially, for example, it is quite common to have oily skin around the forehead, nose and chin and normal or dry skin around the cheeks, eyes and mouth.










