Ch.7.3 Integumentary System
Albino
A person with an absence of color pigments; skin has a pinkish tint, hair is pale yellow or white, and the eyes lack pigment and are red and very sensitive to light.
Alopecia
Baldness; a loss of hair on the scalp, usually due to genetics.
Constrict
To get smaller; when blood vessels constrict, heat is retained in the body.
Crusts-
Areas of dried pus and blood, commonly called scabs.
Cyanosis-
A bluish discoloration of the skin caused by insufficient oxygen; associated with heart, lung, or circulatory diseases.
Cyst-
A closed sac with a distinct membrane that develops abnormally in a body structure; usually filled with semisolid material.
Dermis-
The layer of skin called the “true skin”; contains blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerves, muscles, sweat and oil glands, and hair follicles.
Dilate-
To get larger; when blood vessels dilate, excess heat escapes through the skin.
Epidermis-
The outermost layer of skin; contains several sublayers but no blood vessels or nerve cells.
Erythema-
A reddish color of the skin caused by burns or congestion of blood in the vessels.
Hypodermis-
Also called the subcutaneous fascia; the innermost layer of skin made of elastic and fibrous connective tissue and fat.
integumentary system-
The skin, covering more than 3,000 square inches on the average adult and making up about 15% of body weight.
Jaundice-
A yellow discoloration of the skin indicating bile in the blood from liver or gallbladder disease or from red blood cell destruction.
Macules-
Flat spots on the skin, such as freckles.
Melanin-
A brownish-black pigment produced in the epidermis by melanocytes; determines skin color and increases with sun exposure.
Papules-
Firm, raised areas such as pimples.
Pustules-
Small, pus-filled sacs, seen in acne or pimples.
sebaceous glands-
Oil glands that usually open onto hair follicles and produce sebum, which keeps skin and hair from drying out and prevents infections.
Subcutaneous-
The innermost layer of the skin; made of elastic and fibrous connective tissue and adipose tissue; connects skin to underlying muscles.
sudoriferous glands-
Sweat glands; coiled tubes that open onto the skin surface and eliminate sweat to cool the body.
Ulcer-
A deep loss of skin surface that may extend into the dermis; may bleed and cause scars.
Vesicles-
Blisters or fluid-filled sacs, as seen in chickenpox.
Wheals-
Itchy, elevated areas with an irregular shape, such as hives or insect bites