Question 1

Which of the following best describes the function of melanin in the skin?

Accepted Answer

It protects the DNA of keratinocytes from damaging UV sunlight.

Question 2

A patient presents with yellowing of the skin and eyes. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Jaundice due to liver disorders

Question 3

Which layer of the epidermis is responsible for the continuous production of new keratinocytes through mitosis?

Accepted Answer

Stratum basale

Question 4

A surgeon makes an incision parallel to a cleavage (tension) line in the skin. What is the primary benefit of this approach?

Accepted Answer

It allows the incision to heal more readily with less scarring.

Question 5

Which of the following best explains why infants are at higher risk for dehydration after severe burns compared to adults?

Accepted Answer

Infants have a higher percentage of body surface area relative to volume.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a function of the skin?

Accepted Answer

Production of red blood cells

Question 7

A patient with a third-degree burn will most likely experience which of the following symptoms at the burn site?

Accepted Answer

No edema and no initial pain because nerve endings are destroyed

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the role of eccrine (merocrine) sweat glands?

Accepted Answer

They are responsible for thermoregulation by secreting sweat that is 99% water.

Question 9

A person with a genetic defect causing a lack of desmosomes in the epidermis would most likely experience which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Loose, easily sloughed skin due to poor keratinocyte adhesion

Question 10

Which of the following best explains why people with darker skin have a lower risk of folic acid deficiency due to UV exposure?

Accepted Answer

They have more melanin, which protects folic acid from UV-induced breakdown.

Question 11

A patient presents with a scaly, reddened papule on the scalp that has begun to ulcerate. Biopsy reveals abnormal keratinocytes in the stratum spinosum. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Squamous cell carcinoma

Question 12

Which of the following equations correctly estimates the percentage of body surface area affected by burns using the Rule of Nines?

Accepted Answer

$$Total\;Body\;Surface\;Area\;Burned = (Number\;of\;sections) 	imes 9\%$$

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the function of the stratum corneum?

Accepted Answer

It provides a barrier against biological, chemical, and physical assaults.

Question 14

A person with a mutation that prevents the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin would most likely develop which of the following conditions?

Accepted Answer

Rickets due to impaired calcium absorption

Question 15

Which of the following is a correct sequence of layers in the epidermis of thick skin, from deep to superficial?

Accepted Answer

Stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum, stratum corneum

Question 16

Which of the following best explains why sweat is effective at cooling the body?

Accepted Answer

Evaporation of sweat from the skin surface removes heat energy.

Question 17

A patient with a mutation that prevents the formation of friction ridges would most likely lack which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Fingerprints

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the function of sebaceous (oil) glands?

Accepted Answer

They secrete sebum to lubricate and soften hair and skin.

Question 19

A patient presents with a blue coloration of the skin and mucous membranes. Which of the following is the most likely explanation?

Accepted Answer

Cyanosis due to low oxygenation of hemoglobin

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why the epidermis is avascular?

Accepted Answer

It is composed of epithelial tissue, which receives nutrients by diffusion from the underlying dermis.

The Integumentary System: Structure, Function, and Clinical Relevance

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