SKIN PHYSIOLOGY Flashcards

1/ Outline the funtion of selected sensory receptors in skin 2/ Understand how skin bloodflow can be controlled 3/ Describe the structure and function of eccrine sweat glands and their role in thermoregulation 4/ Understand basic mechanisms of heat transfer 5/ Understand 'core body temperature' and how it is monitored 6/ Explain mechanisms for heat loss and heat conservation/generation 7/ Aware of physiological consequences of sever burns

1
Q

what are the 5 types of skin receptor?

A
  • free nerve endings
  • tactile discs
  • tactile corpuscles
  • lamellar corpuscles
  • bulbous corpuscles
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2
Q

what is the most common receptor in skin?

A

free nerve endings

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3
Q

the fibre characteristics of free nerve endings?

A

unmyelinated small diameter but also some myelinated

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4
Q

small swellings at distal ends also referred as

A

sensory terminals at free nerve endings

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5
Q

TRPV1 receptors is

A

cation channels at free nerve endings

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6
Q

H1 receptors is chemical stimuli for

A

free nerve endings

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7
Q

pathway of stimuli at free nerve endings?

A

activation –> APs in afferent sensory axons –> CNS –> somatosensory cortex

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8
Q

what does free nerve endings mainly respond to?

A
  • temperature/thermal
  • painful stimuli (nociceptive)
  • movement and pressure
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9
Q

itchy respond to histamine is trait of which type of skin receptor?

A

free nerve endings

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10
Q

where is free nerve endings located?

A

deepest layer of epidermis

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11
Q

what is the associated structure with free nerve endings?

A

tactile (merkel) discs

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12
Q

what is the purpose of serotonin 5HT over skin physiology?

A

communication between tactile epithelial and ner ending

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13
Q

where can you find most tactile discs?

A

fingertips

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14
Q

which type of skin receptor is good for 2 point discrimination?

A

tactile disc because small receptive fields

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15
Q

what does tactile disc mainly detect?

A
  • fine touch and light pressure
  • texture, shape and edge
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16
Q

where is the tactile corpuscle located?

A

papillary layer of dermis
(especially hairless skin)

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17
Q

which type of skin receptor could be found around the finger pads, lips, eyelids, external genitalia, soles of feer, nipples?

A

tactile corpuscle

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18
Q

structure of the tactile corpuscle?

A
  • encapsulated
  • spiralling/branching unmyelinated sensory terminals surrounded by modified Schwann cells and thin oval FCT capsule
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19
Q

how does stimuli triggers the tactile corpuscle?

A

deformation of capsule –> triggers entry of Na+ ions –> nerve terminal –> action potential

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20
Q

what can tactile corpuscle detect?

A
  • delicate ‘fine’ / discriminative touch
  • light pressure
  • low frequency vibration
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21
Q

if you are reading Braille text, which skin receptor you would most likely be using?

A

tactile corpuscles and likely tactile discs

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22
Q

which type of skin receptor is scattered deep in dermis and hypodermis

A

lamellar (pacinian) corpuscles

23
Q

lamellar corpuscles’ characteristics?

A
  • single dendrite within concentric layers of collagen fibres
  • specialised fibroblasts
24
Q

what are the layers of collagen fibres in lamellar corpuscles being seperated by

A

gelatinous interstitial fluid

25
Q

how does lamellar corpuscles transmit signals

A

deformation of capsule –> opens pressure sensitive Na+ channels in sensory axon –> inner layers covering axon terminal ‘relax’ quickly –> APs discontinued (rapidly adapting)

26
Q

what type of contact does lamellar corpuscle detect?

A
  • deep pressure
  • vibration
27
Q

where is bulbous corpuscles located?

A
  • dermis and subcutaneous tissue
  • joints capsules
28
Q

why can you find bulbous corpuscles at joint capsules?

A
  • help signal degree of joint rotation - proprioception
  • e.g. monitoring slippage of object accross surface skin –> modulate grip in fingers
29
Q

describe the structure of bulbous corpuscle?

A
  • network of nerve endings
  • core collagen fibres
  • continuous with surrounding dermis
  • capsule through entire structure
30
Q

function of bulbous corpuscle?

A
  • sustained deep pressure
  • stretching/distortion of skin
31
Q

_____(1)______ muscle in walls of _____(2)______ and _______(3)______ innervated by the ______(4)_______ nervous system

A

(1): smooth
(2): arteries
(3): pre-capillary
(4): sympathetic

32
Q

which acts on alpha1 adrenergic receptors?

A

noradrenaline

33
Q

pathway of reducing skin bloodflow?

A

GPCRs coupled to intracellular 2nd messengers –> increased intracellular Ca2+ –> constriction –> reduce skin bloodflow

34
Q

____(1)_____ SNS activation of _____(2)_____ causes relaxation of arteries to skin to increase skin bloodflow

A

(1): reducing
(2): alpha1 receptor

35
Q

reducing activation of alpha1 receptors on vascular smooth muscle cause _____(1)______, therefore increase skin bloodflow
activation of alpha1 receptors cause ____(2)_____, therefore reduce skin bloodflow

A

(1): vasodilation
(2): vasoconstriction

36
Q

what are the 4 primary mechanisms of heat transfer?

A
  • radiation
  • evaporation
  • convection
  • conduction
37
Q

eccrine sweat glands are innervated by?

A

SNS - adrenaline beta receptors

38
Q

what is sympathetic cholinergic?

A

release of ACh onto mACHRs

39
Q

which area of hypothalamus contains heat and cold sensitive for central thermoreceptors?

A

preoptic

40
Q

what happens to the body if body temperature increases above set point?

A
  • reduce SNS activation of alpha1 on skin blood vessel for vasodilation
  • increase SNS cholinergic activation of mAChRs on swaet glands –> sweating
  • increase respiratory rate
  • behavioural changes
41
Q

what happens to the body if body temperature decreases below set point

A
  • Heat Gain centre activated
  • increased generation of body heat through nonshivering or shivering thermogenesis
  • conservation of body heat by decrease blood flow –> reduce heat loss by radiation and convection
  • countercurrent exchange
42
Q

how does shivering generate heat?

A
  • oscillatory contractions of agonist and antagonist muscle
  • ATP –> ADP + Pi + movement + heat
43
Q

increase in ________(1)_______ nerve activity and increase in circulating: ______(2)/(3)_______ from adrenal medulla is one of the activities during non-shivering thermogenesis

A

(1): sympathetic
(2): adrenaline
(3): noradrenaline

44
Q

increased glycogenolysis in liver and muscle is an example for ____________________ in heat generating mechanism

A

increase cellular metabolism of non-shivering thermogenesis

45
Q

how does body produce heat instead of ATP in non-shivering thermogenesis?

A

‘uncoupling’ of oxidative phosphorylation

46
Q

what does an increase of thyroxine respond to?

A

TRH and TSH

47
Q

what does increase of thyroxine do to the body>

A

increase basal metabolic rate

48
Q

which muscle attach hair follicle to upper dermis?

A

arrector pili (smooth muscle)

49
Q

which innervate arrector pili muscle?

A

SNS - alpha1 receptor

50
Q

how do we have goosebumps?

A

contraction of arrector pili muscle as a physiological feed forward to pull hair upright, compress sebaceous gland which lubricate skin and dimples skin

51
Q

which potential complication of severe burn help remind us of normal skin function?

A

dehydration, hypovolemic shock, infection/sepsis, hypothermia

52
Q

which system dysfuction can also be caused by severe burn?

A
  • electrolyte imbalance
  • hypermetabolism
  • GI ulceration
  • renal failure
  • respiratory dysfunction
53
Q

what is an example of electrolyte imbalance?

A

hyperkalaemia - increase of K+