Nail – Longitudinal Section

The nail bed is a specialized structure of the epidermis found at the tips of our fingers and toes. The nail body forms on the nail bed and protects these extremities, which are the parts of the body most exposed to mechanical stress. The nail body also provides support for picking up small objects with the fingers. It is composed of densely packed dead keratinocytes and forms at the nail root, where a matrix of proliferating cells from the stratum basale enables continuous nail growth. The lateral nail fold overlaps the sides of the nail, helping to anchor the nail body. The fold at the proximal end of the nail body forms the cuticle or eponychium. Because the nail bed is rich in blood vessels, it has a pink appearance. The area beneath the free edge of the nail, furthest from the cuticle, is known as the hyponychium and consists of a thickened layer of the stratum corneum. *LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS CC licensed content, Shared previously, 5.2 Accessory Structures of the Skin, Authored by: OpenStax College. License: CC BY: Attribution. License Terms: Download for free at:https://cnx.org/contents/FPtK1zmh@6.16:0EiRpO-D@3/Accessory-Structures-of-the-Sk*