CPCA Dermatology Anatomy and Terminology 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the prefix 'erythro-' mean in dermatological terminology?
- White
- Red (Correct answer)
- Black
- Yellow
Correct answer: Red
Erythro- is a Greek prefix meaning red, used in terms like erythroderma (redness of the skin).
Question 2: A comedo is a hallmark lesion of acne vulgaris. What is a comedo?
- A cyst filled with pus
- A plugged hair follicle filled with sebum and dead cells (Correct answer)
- A flat red macule
- A depressed scar
Correct answer: A plugged hair follicle filled with sebum and dead cells
A comedo is a clogged hair follicle (pore) filled with oxidized sebum and dead skin cells, appearing as blackheads or whiteheads.
Question 3: The term 'telangiectasia' describes which vascular skin finding?
- Bruising beneath the skin
- Dilated small superficial blood vessels (Correct answer)
- A benign vascular tumor
- Localized skin pallor
Correct answer: Dilated small superficial blood vessels
Telangiectasias are permanently dilated small blood vessels (capillaries, arterioles, venules) visible near the skin surface.
Question 4: Which skin appendage is responsible for producing the oily substance that lubricates skin and hair?
- Eccrine sweat gland
- Apocrine sweat gland
- Sebaceous gland (Correct answer)
- Merocrine gland
Correct answer: Sebaceous gland
Sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily substance that lubricates the skin and hair and is secreted into the hair follicle.
Question 5: What is the correct term for a linear crack or groove in the skin that extends into the dermis?
- Erosion
- Ulcer
- Fissure (Correct answer)
- Excoriation
Correct answer: Fissure
A fissure is a linear crack in the skin that extends through the epidermis into the dermis, often seen on the heels or lips.
Question 6: Merkel cells in the epidermis are associated with which function?
- Pigmentation
- Immune defense
- Light touch sensation (Correct answer)
- Keratin production
Correct answer: Light touch sensation
Merkel cells are slow-adapting mechanoreceptors in the epidermis that detect sustained light touch and pressure.
Question 7: The stratum granulosum is named for the granules it contains. What do these granules primarily contain?
- Melanin
- Keratohyalin (Correct answer)
- Lipid droplets only
- Glycogen
Correct answer: Keratohyalin
The stratum granulosum contains keratohyalin granules that play a key role in the formation of the skin's barrier.
CPCA Dermatology Anatomy and Terminology 3
What does the prefix 'erythro-' mean in dermatological terminology?