| piebald skin | Patchy absence of the pigment of scalp hair, giving a streaked appearance; patches of vitiligo may be present in other areas sue to absence of melanocytes; often transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait and may be associated with neurological defects or eye changes . Compare: Waardenburg syndrome. Synonym: piebald skin, piebaldism. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| pigment cell of skin | Special cells in the skin and the eye that synthesise melanin pigments. Clusters of melanocytes often appear on the skin as moles. In fish and reptiles, the pigments are stored in melanosomes (chromatophores) that can be redistributed in the cytoplasm to change pigment patterns. Synonym: melanodendrocyte. Origin: melano-+ G. + kytos, a hollow (cell) (29 Sep 1997) |
| mumps skin test antigen | A sterile suspension of killed mumps virus in isotonic sodium chloride solution, used to determine susceptibility to mumps or to confirm previous exposure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| porcupine skin | Hyperkeratosis, hypergranulosis, and reticular degeneration in the upper epidermis. Generalised epidermolytic hyperkeratosis is present in bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma. Localised epidermolytic hyperkeratosis may be found in epidermal nevi and benign keratoses. Synonym: porcupine skin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| primary macular atrophy of skin | Atrophoderma in which the skin becomes bag like and wrinkled. Synonym: atrophia maculosa varioliformis cutis, atrophoderma maculatum, macular atrophy, primary idiopathic macular atrophy, primary macular atrophy of skin. Origin: G. Anetos, relaxed, + derma, skin (05 Mar 2000) |
| primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin | A rare malignant cutaneous tumour seen in sun-exposed skin of elderly patients composed of dermal nodules of small round cells with scanty cytoplasm in a trabecular pattern; the tumour cells contain cytoplasmic dense core granules resembling neurosecretory granules seen in Merkel cells. Synonym: primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin, trabecular carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| primary skin graft | A skin graft transferred immediately after the creation of a raw area. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sailor's skin | Dry, wrinkled skin with presence of dry premalignant keratoses; observed most commonly in fair-skinned, blue-eyed persons who are exposed by occupation or sport to sunshine for prolonged periods and over many years. Synonym: golfer's skin, sailor's skin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| scalded skin syndrome | <syndrome> A potentially serious side effect of infection with the staph (staphylococcus) bacteria that produces a specific protein which loosens the cement holding the various layers of the skin together. This allows blister formation and sloughing of the top layer of skin. If it occurs over large body regions it can be deadly (just like a large surface area of the body having been burned). It is necessary to treat scalded skin syndrome with intravenous antibiotics and to protect the skin from allowing dehydration to occur if large areas peel off. The disease occurs predominantly in children under 5 years of age. It is known formally as staphyloccoccal scalded skin syndrome and as ritter disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| hidden nail skin | 1. The thin, condensed, eleidin-rich layer of epidermis which procedes and initially covers the nail plate in the embryo. It normally degenerates by the eighth month except at the nail base where it remains as the cuticle of the nail. 2. The corneal layer of epidermis overlapping and in direct contact with the nail root proximally or the sides of the nail plate laterally, forming the undersurface of the nail wall or nail folds of nail. Synonym: hidden nail skin, perionychium. 3. The thin skin adherent to the nail at its proximal portion. Synonym: epionychium. Origin: G. Epi, upon, + onyx (onych-), nail (05 Mar 2000) |
| pupillary-skin reflex | Dilation of the pupil following scratching of the skin of the neck. Synonym: ciliospinal reflex, cutaneous pupil reflex, cutaneous-pupillary reflex, skin-pupillary reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sex skin | The skin of the genital regions of the Macaca mulatta and other primates which becomes hyperaemic during estrus; at the same time the dermis becomes gelatinous and the epidermis thickened. (05 Mar 2000) |
| shagreen skin | An oval-shaped nevoid plaque, skin-coloured or occasionally pigmented, smooth or crinkled, appearing on the trunk or lower back in early childhood; sometimes seen with other signs of tuberous sclerosis. Synonym: shagreen patch. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skin | 1. To strip off the skin or hide of; to flay; to peel; as, to skin an animal. 2. To cover with skin, or as with skin; hence, to cover superficially. "It will but skin and film the ulcerous place." (Shak) 3. To strip of money or property; to cheat. Origin: Skinned; Skinning. 1. To become covered with skin; as, a wound skins over. 2. To produce, in recitation, examination, etc, the work of another for one's own, or to use in such exercise cribs, memeoranda, etc, which are prohibited. 1. <anatomy> The external membranous integument of an animal. In man, and the vertebrates generally, the skin consist of two layers, an outer nonsensitive and nonvascular epidermis, cuticle, or skarfskin, composed of cells which are constantly growing and multiplying in the deeper, and being thrown off in the superficial, layers; and an inner sensitive, and vascular dermis, cutis, corium, or true skin, composed mostly of connective tissue. 2. The hide of an animal, separated from the body, whether green, dry, or tanned; especially, that of a small animal, as a calf, sheep, or goat. 3. A vessel made of skin, used for holding liquids. See Bottle. "Skins of wine." 4. The bark or husk of a plant or fruit; the exterior coat of fruits and plants. 5. That part of a sail, when furled, which remains on the outside and covers the whole. The covering, as of planking or iron plates, outside the framing, forming the sides and bottom of a vessel; the shell; also, a lining inside the framing. Skin friction, Skin resistance, the friction, or resistance, caused by the tendency of water to adhere to the immersed surface (skin) of a vessel. <surgery> Skin graft, a small portion of skin used in the process of grafting. See Graft. <zoology> Skin moth, any insect which destroys the prepared skins of animals, especially the larva of Dermestes and Anthrenus. Skin of the teeth, nothing, or next to nothing; the least possible hold or advantage. Skin wool, wool taken from dead sheep. Origin: Icel. Skinn; akin to Sw. Skinn, Dan. Skind, AS. Scinn, G. Schined to skin. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| skin abnormalities | Congenital structural abnormalities of the skin. (12 Dec 1998) |