The live tissue at the base of the nail is called the:

The live tissue at the base of the nail is called the:

• A. Eponychium
• B. Hyponychium
• C. Nail bed
• D. Nail root

Answer: (A)

The living tissue at the base of the nail is the eponychium. It sits at the proximal nail fold and covers the matrix where new nail cells are formed, providing a protective barrier against infection. The hyponychium is the skin under the free edge, the nail bed lies beneath the nail plate, and the nail root is the portion under the skin from which growth begins. So the eponychium is the part that directly covers and protects the nail’s growth area.

The living tissue at the base of the nail is the eponychium. It sits at the proximal nail fold and covers the matrix where new nail cells are formed, providing a protective barrier against infection. The hyponychium is the skin under the free edge, the nail bed lies beneath the nail plate, and the nail root is the portion under the skin from which growth begins. So the eponychium is the part that directly covers and protects the nail’s growth area.