Which epidermal layer is made of hardened, flattened, dead, keratinized cells and is shed?

• A. Stratum Lucidum
• B. Stratum Granulosum
• C. Stratum Corneum
• D. Stratum Spinosum

Answer: (C)

The layer described is the outermost epidermal layer. It consists of hardened, flattened, dead cells that are filled with keratin and have lost their nuclei. These cells, called corneocytes, form a tough, protective barrier and are continually shed from the surface in a process known as desquamation. This turnover keeps the skin surface refreshed and helps prevent water loss and entry of pathogens.

deeper layers like the spinosum and granulosum contain living cells that are still maturing toward keratinization, but they aren’t the shed layer. The lucidum appears only in thick skin and is a thin, clear layer between other living layers and the corneum, not the primary shed layer.