Final answer:
The hard protective plate of the nail is known as the nail plate or nail body, which is largely composed of densely packed dead keratinocytes and made up of keratin, growing from the nail matrix and nail root.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hard protective plate is commonly known as the nail plate or nail body and is the visible part of the nail. It is formed on the nail bed and is mainly composed of densely packed dead keratinocytes. The nail matrix is the tissue under the skin from which the nail starts to grow; it's a collection of proliferating cells that forms the nail body and allows the nail to grow continuously. The area that is usually referred to when mentioning the cuticle on the nail is the eponychium, a fold of epithelium that extends over the nail bed, helping to protect against infections.
Nail growth originates from the nail root, which is lodged deeply in the epidermis and surrounded by the nail matrix. Nails are composed mainly of a protein called keratin. It's not recommended to cut the cuticle during a manicure because it serves as a protective barrier against infections.
The hard protective plate is called the natural nail. The nail plate, also known as the nail body, is the visible part of the nail that is external to the skin. It is composed of densely packed dead keratinocytes, which are cells that produce keratin and make up the nail.