Dermis and Skin Structure – Lecture Review

15 Q&A flashcards covering dermal composition, layers, structures, lines, fibers, injuries, cell types, and vascular networks.

What type of tissue primarily composes the dermis?

Strong, flexible connective tissue

Name the two layers of the dermis.

Papillary layer and Reticular layer

Which connective tissue forms the papillary layer of the dermis?

Areolar connective tissue

Which structure is NOT found in dermal papillae?

Sebaceous glands

What skin structure enhances grip and leaves fingerprints?

Friction ridges

What causes skin cleavage (tension) lines?

Parallel bundles of collagen fibers in the reticular layer

Why do surgeons make incisions parallel to cleavage lines?

Incisions parallel to cleavage lines gape less and heal more readily with minimal scarring

What causes flexure lines in the skin?

Dermis is tightly bound to deeper structures at or near joints

Which dermal layer accounts for roughly 80% of dermal thickness?

Reticular layer

Which fibers give the dermis both strength and elasticity?

Collagen and elastic fibers

Define striae.

Stretch marks caused by tearing of the dermis

What causes a blister?

Acute trauma produces a pocket of fluid between the epidermis and dermis

List four main cell types found in the dermis.

Fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, and white blood cells

Which of the following is NOT a function of dermal blood vessels: providing nutrients, thermoregulation, supplying the epidermis with oxygen, or housing tactile corpuscles?

Housing tactile corpuscles is NOT a function of dermal blood vessels

What is the vascular network located between the dermis and hypodermis called?

Cutaneous plexus