Topic 3 Flashcards
You will be studying the intergumentary system. The integumentary system makes up the coverings of the body and is comprised of skin, hair and nail. In this topic, you will be introduced to the structure and function of the human integumentary system in health and disease.
What is skin composed of?
It is composed of epithelium of the epidermis and connective tissue of the dermis.
What are the principal layers of the skin?
Epidermis and dermis.
Desribe the two different types of skin (thick and skin)
Thick skin can only be found in the palms of the hand and soles of the feet. There are no hair follicles and the dermis is folded into ridges to increase gripping capacity. The epidermal layer is also thicker.
What is the epidermis composed of
it is composed of keratinised stratified squamous epithelium.
What are the cell types found in the epidermis.
Keratinoccytes, melanocytes and langerhans and merkel cells.
What are the five distinct layers of the epidermis?
Stratum basale Stratum spinosum Stratum granulosum Stratum lucidum Stratum corneum
The dermis consists of two distinct regions, the superficiaal part and deeper part. Describe each of these regions.
The superficial region is composed of areolar, connective tissue and fine elastic fibres.
The deeper part is composed of dense irregular connective tissue plus collagenous and elastic fibres.
What determins skin colour?
Melanin in the epidermis, and carotene in the dermis and blood in the capillaries of the dermis.
What is malignant melanoma?
(cancer of the melanocytes) It is a particularly serious skin cancer. Liver, or age spots, are non-cancerous clusters of melanin.
What are the accessory glands of the skin?
Sebaceous (oil), sudoriferous (sweat) and ceruminous (wax)
Where can you find appocrine glands?
Armpits, groin, breasts and bearded area of the face.
Where can you find eccrine glands?
Skin, except lips, nail beds and eardrums.
What is the function of the skin?
Regulation of body temperature Protection Cutaneous Sensation Excretion Absorption Synthesis of Vitamin D
Descibe the features of stratum basale.
Single layer of low columnar or cuboid cells.
Descibe the features of stratum spinosum.
Several layers of polyehdral cells joined by desmosomes.
