Which of the following clients would experience an accelerated rate of cell division in the stratum germinativum layer?

Question

A) A stroke client who is incontinent of stool and bladder
B) A motorcycle accident client with large abrasions on the lower limbs
C) A young athlete who experienced a torn cartilage in the knee
D) A pregnant client who has developed dark purple stretch marks on the abdomen

Answer 1

Ans: B
Feedback:
The deepest layer, the stratum germinativum, consists of a single layer of basal cells that are attached to the basal lamina in the basement membrane zone. The basal cells are the only epidermal cells that are mitotically active. It normally takes 3 to 4 weeks for the epidermis to replicate itself. The rate of cell division in the stratum germinativum is greatly accelerated when the outer layers of the epidermis are stripped away as occurs in abrasions and burns. The outer epidermis, which is avascular, is composed of four to five layers of stratified squamous epithelial cells, predominantly keratinocytes, which are formed in the deepest layer of the epidermis and migrate to the skin surface to replace cells that are lost during normal skin shedding. These are most affected by incontinence. Stretch marks are similar to stratum granulosum cells that have a dark staining granule of keratohyalin.