Anatomy and Physiology: Integumentary and Skeletal Systems

Vocabulary flashcards covering skin structures, glands, skin patholologies, burns, and key skeletal features based on lecture transcripts.

Determinants of Hair Growth

The two primary factors that determine hair growth in the body: nutrition and hormones.

Telogen Effluvium

Abrupt hair thinning that occurs when all hair follicles enter the resting phase simultaneously, commonly triggered by severe emotional stress, childbirth, major surgery, crash dieting, or GLP-1 injectables.

Nail Matrix

The specific anatomical region of the nail responsible for nail growth; destroying it prevents new nail formation.

Capillary Refill Test

A physical assessment technique performed by pressing the tip of the nail to blanch it white; upon release, it should immediately turn pink, indicating adequate extremity circulation.

Beau's Lines

Transverse lines that develop across the nail plate due to disruptions in growth caused by severe illness, uncontrolled diabetes, heart attack, or chemotherapy.

Myoepithelial Cells

Specialized epithelial cells surrounding sweat glands that contract when stimulated by the nervous system to force sweat into the ducts.

Eccrine Sweat Glands

The most numerous sweat glands in the body, prominent on the forehead and palms, regulated by the sympathetic nervous system to perform thermal regulation.

Apocrine Sweat Glands

Sweat glands activated at puberty located in axillary and anogenital areas that secrete a viscous, milky sweat rich in fatty substances and proteins into hair follicles, producing body odor when broken down by bacteria.

Ceruminous Glands

Modified sweat glands located in the ear canal that secrete earwax.

Mammary Glands

Modified sweat glands specialized to secrete milk.

Sebaceous Glands

Oil glands located all over the body except the palms and soles that secrete bactericidal oily sebum into hair follicles to lubricate hair and skin.

Seborrhea

An overactivity of sebaceous glands in infants, clinically known as cradle cap, which manifests as pink raised lesions that turn yellow-brown and slough off.

Acid Mantle

The protective acidic skin surface environment (pH between $4$ and $6$) created by sweat secretions that deters bacterial growth.

Dendritic Cells

Biological barrier cells in the skin that patrol for non-self materials, engulf foreign antigens, and present them to white blood cells to activate an immune response.

Insensible Perspiration

Unnoticed, baseline sweat production of approximately $500\,mL$ per day occurring under comfortable, resting conditions.

Sensible Perspiration

Noticeable, heavy sweating produced in response to elevated body temperature to promote evaporative cooling, which can reach up to $3\text{ gallons}$ per day.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

The least malignant and most prevalent type of skin cancer, accounting for about $80\%$ of cases, originating in the stratum basale and slowly invading the dermis and subcutaneous tissue.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The second most common skin cancer, arising from keratinocytes in the stratum spinosum as scaly red lesions, capable of metastasizing if untreated.

Melanoma

The most dangerous form of skin cancer affecting melanocytes, accounting for about $1\%$ of skin cancer cases, which is highly metastatic and resistant to chemotherapy.

ABCD(E) Rule

A clinical rule for identifying potential melanoma based on Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter, and Evolution over time.

Immediate Threat of Severe Burns

Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which can rapidly lead to renal failure and circulatory shock.

Rule of Nines

A standardized clinical method dividing the body into $11$ sections of $9\%$ body surface area each (with $1\%$ for the genitals) used to estimate burn extent and fluid loss.

First-Degree Burn

A burn localized strictly to the epidermis, characterized by localized redness, pain, and mild swelling.

Second-Degree Burn

A partial-thickness burn involving the epidermis and upper portion of the dermis, clinically distinguished by the formation of fluid-filled blisters.

Third-Degree Burn

A full-thickness burn involving all layers of the skin, appearing discolored and devoid of pain at the burn site due to the destruction of cutaneous nerve receptors.

Vernix Caseosa

A protective substance secreted by fetal sebaceous glands that coats the skin to protect it from long-term exposure to amniotic fluid in the womb.

Lanugo Coat

A coat of delicate, colorless hair that covers the fetus during the fifth and sixth months of development.

Medial Landmark of the Femur

The head of the femur, which consistently faces medially to fit into the hip joint.

Tibial Tuberosity

A prominent landmark on the anterior proximal end of the tibia near where the patella sits.

Thoracic Vertebra

A type of vertebra that visually resembles a giraffe face when viewed from the posterior or spinous process orientation.

Xiphoid Process

The sharp process located at the distal tip of the sternum that must be avoided when performing chest compressions during CPR.