A skin care consultant informs the client that he needs to bath and use a soft cloth to remove dead cells on the skin surface. The rationale for this action is based on the fact that

Question

A) All layers of epidermis undergo rapid mitosis.
B) Cells of the stratum spinosum will turn into prickle cells if not removed by bathing.
C) A basal cell is mitotically active and pushes older dead cells to the skin's surface.
D) Keratinocytes will turn to fibrous protein tissue if not removed by bathing.

Answer 1

Ans: C
Feedback:
The basal cells are the only epidermal cells that are mitotically active. All cells of the epidermis arise from this layer. As new cells form in the basal layer, the older cells change shape and are pushed upward toward the skin surface. The second layer, the stratum spinosum, is two to four layers thick. The cells of this layer are commonly referred to as prickle cells because they develop a spiny appearance as their cell borders interact. The keratinocytes are the predominant cell type of the epidermis. They produce a fibrous protein called keratin, which is essential to the protective function of skin and may be involved in the immune system and wound healing.