a-short-review-of-histology

Skin Appendages: Nails:

Nails are made up of specialised keratinised epidermal cells which contain hard keratin: the cells of the stratum corneum of the skin contain soft keratin
Nails initially develop towards the end of the first trimester of pregnancy as an ingrowth of epithelial cells into the underlying connective tissue
Nail growth occurs mainly at the thickened proximal end of the nail bed by rapid proliferation of epithelial cells which are continuous with the stratum germinativum of the epidermis
The keratinised cells of the nail plate do not desquamate
The epidermis beneath the nail plate consists of only the deeper layers of the epidermis and is called the nail bed
There are no sweat glands or hair follicles in the nail bed
Cells of the stratum corneum of the epidermis which extend over the free surface of the nail plate form the cuticle (or eponychium)

Diagram of Nail: