Which is the clear protective layer of the skin that is found on the palms and soles?

Which is the clear protective layer of the skin that is found on the palms and soles?

• A. Stratum Basale
• B. Stratum Granulosum
• C. Stratum Lucidum found on palms of hand and soles of feet
• D. Stratum Corneum

Answer: (C)

On thick skin like the palms and soles, the epidermis has a thin, clear layer that sits between the granular layer and the outermost protective layer. This is the stratum lucidum, and its translucence is why it’s described as a clear protective layer. It helps reinforce the skin against constant friction in those areas. It only appears in thick skin, not in thin skin elsewhere on the body. The other layers have different roles: the deepest layer (basale) continually produces new cells, the granulosum contains keratin granules as cells begin to toughen, and the corneum is the outer protective barrier in all skin, but it’s not the specialized clear layer of thick skin.

On thick skin like the palms and soles, the epidermis has a thin, clear layer that sits between the granular layer and the outermost protective layer. This is the stratum lucidum, and its translucence is why it’s described as a clear protective layer. It helps reinforce the skin against constant friction in those areas. It only appears in thick skin, not in thin skin elsewhere on the body. The other layers have different roles: the deepest layer (basale) continually produces new cells, the granulosum contains keratin granules as cells begin to toughen, and the corneum is the outer protective barrier in all skin, but it’s not the specialized clear layer of thick skin.