Skin Structure, Function, and Healing capter 6

Flashcards covering vocabulary related to skin anatomy, physiology, protection, wound healing, aging, cancer, and burns, based on lecture notes.

Eccrine sudoriferous glands

Sweat glands responsible for cooling the body down.

Sebaceous glands

Oil glands found beside the hair root that secrete sebum.

Sebum

The oil secreted by sebaceous glands, which makes hair oily, waterproofs the skin, and helps prevent bacterial growth.

Vasodilation (Dermis)

The widening of blood vessels in the dermis when warm, bringing more blood to the skin to lose heat.

Vasoconstriction (Dermis)

The narrowing of blood vessels in the dermis when cold, reducing blood flow to the skin to lessen heat loss.

Keratin

A protein that makes the skin strong against physical damage.

Stratum granulosum lipids

Lipids released by cells in the stratum granulosum that make the skin more waterproof.

Acidic sweat

Sweat that is slightly acidic, which helps reduce the amount of microorganisms that can grow on the skin.

Commensal bacteria

Microbes on the skin that typically do not cause disease or affect us.

Melanin

A pigment made by melanocytes that gives skin color and protects against UV rays from the sun.

Melanocytes

Cells in the stratum basale of the epidermis and hair matrix that produce melanin.

Langerhans cells

Phagocytic cells, also called intraepidermal macrophages or dendritic cells, found in the skin that eat microbes during injury.

Tactile sensations

Sensations detected by nerve cells in the skin, including touch, pressure, vibration, and tickle.

Skin excretion

The elimination of cellular waste products like urea and uric acid through sweat (perspiration).

Transdermal drug delivery

A method of absorbing drugs into the bloodstream through the skin, often applied topically in creams.

Vitamin D synthesis

A process starting in the skin where UV rays activate a precursor molecule, which is then converted in the liver and kidneys to calcitriol.

Calcitriol

The most active form of vitamin D, which aids in absorbing calcium and phosphorus from the small intestines and enhances immune system activity.

Epidermal wounds

Wounds that only affect the epidermis and heal perfectly without scarring because they do not involve fibroblasts.

Deep wounds

Wounds that penetrate into the dermis and potentially deeper, often resulting in scar formation.

Fibrosis

The process by which fibroblasts divide and lay down connective tissue, forming a scar that replaces normal cells.

Inflammatory phase (wound healing)

The initial stage of deep wound healing characterized by blood clot formation, prevention of infection, and the recruitment of phagocytic white blood cells to clear debris and bacteria.

Blood clot

Formed from liquid blood hardening to seal off a wound, stop bleeding, and prevent further infection.

Neutrophils

Phagocytic white blood cells that come to a wound site via blood vessels during inflammation to eat infections.

Monocytes

White blood cells that transform into macrophages upon reaching tissue to help eat bacteria at a wound site.

Inflammation (signs)

Characterized by redness (erythema), swelling (edema), warmth, and pain, due to dilated, leaky blood vessels and stimulated nerve receptors.

Migratory phase (wound healing)

Stage where epithelial cells migrate to reestablish the epidermal border, and fibroblasts migrate into the wound to produce collagen fibers.

Proliferative phase (wound healing)

Stage where stratum basale cells divide to form new epidermal layers, and fibroblasts lay down more protein fibers, contributing to scar formation.

Maturation phase (wound healing)

The final stage of wound healing, during which the scab falls off and scar tissue remodels.

Scab

A hardened material formed from a blood clot during wound healing to further seal off the wound.

Ectoderm

The embryonic tissue type from which the epidermis initially develops.

Mesoderm

The embryonic tissue type that becomes mesenchyme, which then gives rise to the dermis.

Wrinkles (aging)

Caused by a decrease in collagen and elastic fibers in the skin as a person gets older.

Skin cancer

Uncontrolled cell division in the skin, most commonly caused by excessive UV exposure leading to DNA damage.

Basal cell carcinoma

The most common type of skin cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma

The second most common type of skin cancer.

Malignant melanoma

The rarest but most dangerous type of skin cancer due to its ability to spread (metastasize) to other body regions.

ABCDE scheme

A method to identify potentially cancerous skin growths based on Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color unevenness, Diameter, and Evolving changes.

Burn

Tissue damage to skin cells where proteins are broken down (denatured), caused by heat, electricity, radiation, or corrosive chemicals.

First degree burn

A burn that only affects the epidermis (e.g., sunburn), causing redness (erythema) and mild pain, and heals with a perfect repair.

Second degree burn

A burn affecting the epidermis and dermis, causing redness, blisters (detachment of epidermis from dermis), swelling (edema), and significant pain, leading to some loss of skin functions.

Third degree burn

A severe burn affecting the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer, resulting in significant loss of skin functions, marked edema, numbness, and requiring a skin graft for healing.

Erythema

The clinical term for redness of the skin, often seen in first-degree burns and inflammation.

Blisters

Fluid-filled sacs that form in second-degree burns due to the detachment of the epidermis from the dermis.

Edema

The clinical term for swelling, caused by fluid leaking from blood plasma into the connective tissue during inflammation or burns.

Skin graft

A surgical procedure where functional skin from another part of the body is used to replace dead skin from a third-degree burn.

Rule of Nines

A method used by medical professionals to quickly estimate the percentage of body surface affected by a burn.

Pressure ulcer

Also called bedsores, these are regions of cell death caused by constant pressure on parts of the body, which cuts off circulation, often seen in immobile patients.