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Anatomy & Physiology · Chapter 5

The Five Epidermal Strata

The epidermis is a conveyor belt. New cells are born at the bottom, get pushed up through five layers, fill with keratin and die, and flake off the top — a ~month-long trip. Watch a cell make the journey.

The epidermis

The epidermisfive layers, bottom to top

The strata (top → bottom)

💡 Mnemonic: “Come, Let's Get Sun Burned” — Corneum, Lucidum, Granulosum, Spinosum, Basale (top → bottom).
📷 Reference image
A real labeled figure to compare with the interactive above.
The Five Epidermal Strata reference figure
The Five Epidermal Strata — OpenStax, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)