Nail
Nail (Anatomy)
A nail is a tough protective plate made up of keratin, a protein, that covers the dorsal aspect of the terminal phalanges of fingers and toes in humans and most other primates.
Pronunciation
- /neɪl/
Etymology
The word "nail" comes from the Old English nægl, which is from the Proto-Germanic *naglaz.
Structure
Nails are composed of a hardened protein called keratin, which is also found in the skin and hair. The nail consists of several parts including the nail plate, the nail bed, the cuticle, the nail folds, the lunula, and the matrix.
Nail Plate
The nail plate is the hard and translucent part, composed of keratin. It is strong and flexible, with a pinkish color due to the underlying capillaries.
Nail Bed
The nail bed is the skin beneath the nail plate. It contains blood vessels and nerves.
Cuticle
The cuticle is a layer of clear skin located along the bottom edge of the nail plate.
Nail Folds
The nail folds are the skin that frames and supports the nail on three sides.
Lunula
The lunula is the whitish half-moon shape at the base of the nail.
Matrix
The matrix is the tissue which the nail protects. It is the part of the nail bed that is beneath the nail and contains nerves, lymph and blood vessels.
Function
Nails protect the fingertips and the tissue surrounding them from injuries. They also enhance precise movements of the digits by counteracting the force exerted by the fingertip pad.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Nail
- Wikipedia's article - Nail
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski