Stratum basale
The stratum basale (basal layer, sometimes referred to as stratum germinativum) is the deepest layer of the five layers of the epidermis, the external covering of skin in mammals.
The stratum basale is a single layer of
They divide to form the keratinocytes of the stratum spinosum, which migrate superficially.[2] Other types of cells found within the stratum basale are melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) and Merkel cells (touch receptors).
Clinical significance
Basal-cell carcinomas (basal-cell cancers), account for around 80 per cent of all skin cancers.[3] Not all basal-cell cancers originate in the basal cells but they are so named because the cancer cells resemble basal cells when seen under a microscope.[4]
In a growing fetus, fingerprints form where the cells of the stratum basale meet the papillae of the underlying dermal layer (papillary layer), resulting in the formation of the ridges on the fingers. Fingerprints are unique to each individual and are used for forensic analyses because the patterns do not change with the growth and aging processes.[5]
Additional images
-
Epidermis and dermis of human skin -
Section of epidermis
See also
References
- ISBN 978-0-632-06429-8.
- ISBN 978-0-7234-3541-9.
- ^ "Skin Cancer (Non-Melanoma) - Introduction". Cancer.Net. 25 June 2012.
- ^ "Basal Cell Carcinoma - Skin Disorders". MSD Manual Consumer Version.
- ISBN 978-1-947172-04-3.