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Pigment can be found in several layers of the epidermis. In which layers would you expect to find the cells that produce melanin?

User DanSogaard
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Answer:

stratum basale

Step-by-step explanation:

Basal or germinative layer: the deepest and most active layer, the multiplication of epidermal cells is intense.

The germination layer, also called the basal layer, is the deepest of all and sits on the dermis. It has a wavy shape and is formed by a layer of more or less cylindrical cells. These cells are tall and very tight with each other, penetrating their dentate base into the dermis. This teeth together with the perfect union of the basal cells with each other, ensures perfect adhesion of the epidermis with the dermis.

The name germinative stratum comes from the fact that new cells constantly germinate in this layer, which are displaced towards the skin's surface. The outermost cells are dying and are replaced by newly formed ones, which follow the same outward migration process. Germination stratum cells show intense cell division activity, in which each stem cell is divided into two daughter cells. This reproductive activity is called mitosis or cell renewal.

Although this process of renewal is constant and continuous, from the birth to the death of the individual, there are a number of circumstances that cause it to accelerate or slow down. For example, age, health status, season of the year, etc. In this stratum there are other irregularly shaped cells, the melanocytes, responsible for making melanin, which is the pigment thanks to which our skin has color.

User Zapotec
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