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Anatomy Unit 2 Report
A Case of Sunburn
On the first day after arriving in Miami for spring break vacation, Matt plays out in the sun for
six hours. Later that night he notices that the skin on his legs and arms becomes red, swollen,
and extremely painful. By morning all of the afflicted areas have developed numerous blisters.
These areas cover about 30% of his trunk (front and back) and 40% of the arms and legs.
1. What organ has been damaged? What general types of tissue have been
afflicted?
In the given scenario, the Integumentary System has been damaged by Matt’s burn. Mainly
the skin. The types of tissues affected have been the stratified squamous epithelial layer of the
epidermis. Additionally, part of the dermis of the skin is also afflicted, including the areolar
connective tissue, and the dense irregular connective tissue (Johns Hopkins Medicine).
2. What type of burn has Matt received? Explain.
Matt has received a 2nd-degree burn. This burn develops into blisters and is very painful, which
corresponds to Matt’s symptoms of being red, swollen, and feeling extreme pain. The presence
of blisters is not commonly found in other types of burns, so Matt’s symptoms resemble a 2nd-
degree burn (Mayo Clinic).
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, 10/14/24, 10:21 Anatomy Unit 2 Report - Got
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3. List ALL layers of the skin that have been damaged.
Since Matt’s burn is most likely a 2nd-degree burn, the epidermis, and part of the dermis is
affected. The layers were not completely or permanently damaged as they would be in
more severe burns, and can therefore be healed.
4. What tissue repair process causes the blistering?
There are mainly three stages of healing a burn, which includes the inflammatory stage,
proliferation stage, and matrix remodeling. In the given scenario, Matt is likely in the
inflammatory stage since that is when the pain and swelling primarily occur. During the
proliferation stage, there is re-epithelialized in the damaged tissues. The inflammation within
the epidermis and dermis layers results in blisters. Blisters allow for an increase in capillary
permeability, which promotes wound healing (Medical News Today).
5. List all of the body functions that may be disrupted by such a burn.
Burns weaken the immune system since they disrupt the integumentary system, which acts as a
barrier for pathogens. This created an increased risk of infections for the body. Burns also
affect the thermoregulation of the body since sweat glands are destroyed. Since the body is
unable to sweat, the person can’t tolerate hot climates. There can also be loss of mobility
caused by damaged tissue and the pain that movement generates. Burns also create scars that
can lead to permanent skin damaged depending on the severity, and that can have
psychological consequences.
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