Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do skin cells form the stratum corneum?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
human body
Vintage anatomy charts of the human body showing the skeletal and muscle systems.
The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis, formed through a continuous process of cell maturation and migration.12
The Formation Process
- Cell Division: New keratinocytes are produced via cell division in the basal layer (stratum germinativum).2
- Migration and Differentiation: These cells move outward through the stratum spinosum, where they are connected by desmosomes, and then into the granular layer (stratum granulosum).2
- Cornification: In the granular layer, cells become laden with keratohyalin. As they transition into the stratum corneum, the cells flatten, lose their nuclei, and become keratin-rich corneocytes.24
- Barrier Development: The stratum corneum is stabilized by insoluble filamentous proteins, including keratin. The spaces between these cells are filled with lipid lamellae (waxy platelets) produced by membrane-coating granules, which create a vital barrier against water loss and environmental injury.342
Ultimately, these dead cells are shed from the surface through a process known as desquamation.12