Exam 3 Flashcards
(439 cards)
the body’s largest organ in terms of surface area and weight.
The skin
Skin would cover
1.5 to 2.0 square meters if surface area if flattened into a sheet
Skin makes up approximately ____ of your total body weight
15%
Organization of the skin
consists of a superficial epidermis and a deeper dermis; below this is the hypodermis, which is a layer of connective tissue.
thickness of skin
1mm to 2mm thick; ranges from 0.6 mm in eyelids to 6.0 mm on back
thick skin
has five epidermal layers and covers the palms, soles, fingers, and toes with a surface layer of dead cells and it lacks hair follicles
thin skin
has four thinner epidermal layers and covers all other parts of the body
Dermatology
the study and treatment of the integument and the appearance and/or condition of one’s skin can provide diagnostic information regarding one’s overall health.
organization of the epidermis
consists of keratinized stratified squamous epithelium that is organized into several distinct strata.
blood supply of epidermis
it contains no blood vessels, so its cells depend on diffusion of oxygen and nutrients from blood vessels in underlying connective tissue
The stratum basale
consists of a single layer of cuboidal or columnar cells that continuously undergo mitotic cell division to produce new skin cells.
keratinocytes
the most abundant cells and are held together by desmosomes
helps to waterproof skin
Tough, fibrous keratin protects skin from heat, microbes, chemicals
melanocytes
synthesize the pigment melanin
melanin
responsible for skin color and it absorbs ultraviolet radiation to protect skin from damaging effects of sunlight
Merkel cells
touch receptors that join with sensory neurons to form Merkel discs
The stratum spinosum
consists of several layers of keratinocytes.
when skin is prepared for microscope slides,
keratinocytes shrink and pull apart, except where attached by desmosomes
dendritic (Langerhans) cells
macrophages that a rise in bone marrow and migrate to the epidermis to protect body against microbes that invade skin
The stratum granulosum
consists of keratinocytes that contain dark-staining granules of protein that eventually become keratin.
as keratinocytes flatten,
the nucleus and organelles disintegrate and granules of keratin accumulate in the cytoplasm
the outer limit for diffusion of substances
the stratum granulosum
The stratum lucidum
a thin, translucent layer of dead cells found only in thick skin.
The stratum corneum
contains up to 30 layers of dead, scaly keratinized cells and makes up about 75% of the thickness of the epidermis.