This skin layer is the outer layer.

This skin layer is the outer layer.

• A. Reticular
• B. Epidermis
• C. Dermis
• D. Papillary

Answer: (B)

The outermost skin layer is the epidermis. It’s a keratinized stratified squamous epithelium that serves as the protective barrier for the body, with sublayers that move from a living, actively dividing basal layer to outer, dead cells in the stratum corneum. This outermost surface provides waterproofing and abrasion resistance, and because it has no blood vessels, nutrients reach it by diffusion from the underlying dermis. The epidermis also houses important cells like melanocytes, Langerhans cells, and Merkel cells that contribute to pigment, immune defense, and sensation. The other terms refer to parts of the dermis. The papillary layer is the superficial dermal layer just beneath the epidermis and contains capillaries and nerve endings, while the reticular layer is the deeper dermal section rich in collagen and elastin that gives skin strength and elasticity. So, the outer layer is the epidermis.

The outermost skin layer is the epidermis. It’s a keratinized stratified squamous epithelium that serves as the protective barrier for the body, with sublayers that move from a living, actively dividing basal layer to outer, dead cells in the stratum corneum. This outermost surface provides waterproofing and abrasion resistance, and because it has no blood vessels, nutrients reach it by diffusion from the underlying dermis. The epidermis also houses important cells like melanocytes, Langerhans cells, and Merkel cells that contribute to pigment, immune defense, and sensation.

The other terms refer to parts of the dermis. The papillary layer is the superficial dermal layer just beneath the epidermis and contains capillaries and nerve endings, while the reticular layer is the deeper dermal section rich in collagen and elastin that gives skin strength and elasticity. So, the outer layer is the epidermis.