Module 5: Chapter 16 Flashcards
16.1 The Skin and its Defenses
the skin, together with the nails, hair, sweat and oil glands, forms the ___________ system.
integument
total surface area of skin
1.5-2 square meters
layers of skin from outer to inner
epidermis (stratum corneum) -> dermis -> subcutaneous layer
composition of the epidermis (four or five distinct layers)
outer to inner
stratum corneum (dead cells that have migrated from the deeper layers - packed with keratin, layer replaced every 25-45 days)
below the stratum corneum are three or four more layers of epithelial cells
the lowest layer, stratum basale or basal layer: attached to the underlying dermis and is source for all of the cells that make up the dermis
importance of keratin
gives epithelial cells ability to withstand abrasion, damage, and water penetration
thickest skin is found on the _____________ and the thinnest is on the __________
- plantar of the foot
2. eyelids
dermis layer (middle layer)
composed of connective tissue (instead of epithelium)
- means it is rich in fibroblast cells and fibers such as collagen
- contains macrophages and mast cells
- harbors a dense network of nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels
—> damage to the epidermis generally does not result in bleeding, whereas damage deep enough to the dermis results in broken blood vessels.
*blister formation, the result of friction trauma, or burns, represents a separation between the dermis and epidermis
—> roots of hair are housed in follicles in the dermis, sebaceous oil glands and sweat glands are also in the dermis
____________ of cells from the stratum corneum slough off every day, and attached microorganisms are also sloughed off
millions
one of the most effective defenses of the skin is a class of molecule called \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. ---> they are positively charged chemical that act by disrupting the negatively charged membranes of bacteria; chiefly responsible for keeping the antimicrobial count on skin relatively low
antimicrobial peptides
sebum
low pH, oil-based secretion of the sebaceous glands (due to high concentration antibodies); makes the skin inhospitable to many microorganisms
lipids in sebum can serve as nutrients for normal microbiota, but breakdown of the fatty acids contained in lipids leads to toxic by-products that do what?
inhibit the growth of microorganisms not adapted to the skin environment
why is sweat inhibitory to microorganisms?
because of its low pH and its high salt concentration
—> lysozyme is an enzyme found in sweat (and tears and saliva) that specifically breaks down peptidoglycan
- 1 outcomes
- describe the important anatomical features of the skin
- list the natural defenses present in the skin
- keratin in the epidermis - protects the skin from damage, abrasion, and water penetration
- collagen in the dermis for withstanding stretching - -antimicrobial peptides
-low pH (sweat)
-sebum
-high salt and lysozyme in sweat
sloughing off of microbes from stratum corneum
16.2 Normal Biota of the Skin
microbes that live on the surface of the skin must be capable of living in what conditions that are on the skin?
salty and dry conditions
microbes can grow into dense populations in what places
moist areas and skin folds such as the underarm and groin areas
normal microbiota also live in the protected environment of the ________ follicles and ______ ducts
hair
glandular
fascinating info about skin normal biota
hundreds of species of microbes including well known pathogens inhabit out epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous skin layers
also common for different species to favor different areas of our bodies, and for different people to have different species
—> seems common for an individual’s microbiota to remain relatively constant over time
common fungal colonizers of skin
dermatophytes
skin defenses
keratinized surface, sloughing, low pH, high salt, lysozyme, antimicrobial peptides
normal biota of skin
Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Propionibacterium, Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus; yeasts such as Candida
- 2 outcomes
1. list characteristics of the skin’s normal microbiota
- hundreds of species of microbes including some pathogens inhabit the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous skin layers
- different species favor different areas of the body
- different people have different species
- common for individuals’ microbiota to remain relatively constant over time
16.3 Skin Diseases Caused by Microorganisms