The part of the nail that produces cells that become the nail plate is called the:

The part of the nail that produces cells that become the nail plate is called the:

• A. Matrix
• B. Nail bed
• C. Lunula
• D. Free edge

Answer: (A)

The nail matrix is the tissue that produces cells that become the nail plate. It lies under the proximal nail fold and extends into the nail root, where new cells divide and keratinize to form the hard nail plate that is pushed outward over the nail bed as it grows. The visible lunula at the base is just the portion of the matrix you can see through the nail plate; it signals the presence of the growth region but is not the site where the nail is produced. The nail bed is the skin beneath the plate that provides nourishment and supports the nail, but it does not generate the nail plate. The free edge is the portion of the nail that extends beyond the fingertip and is not involved in producing new nail cells.

The nail matrix is the tissue that produces cells that become the nail plate. It lies under the proximal nail fold and extends into the nail root, where new cells divide and keratinize to form the hard nail plate that is pushed outward over the nail bed as it grows. The visible lunula at the base is just the portion of the matrix you can see through the nail plate; it signals the presence of the growth region but is not the site where the nail is produced. The nail bed is the skin beneath the plate that provides nourishment and supports the nail, but it does not generate the nail plate. The free edge is the portion of the nail that extends beyond the fingertip and is not involved in producing new nail cells.