Human fingernails are essentially made up of the same long fibers that human hair is made of; it is a protein called keratin. This substance is also the primary structural component of horns and hooves on animals. Keratin is a protein that has no color and in the hair, there are two types not solely the exact element found in fingernails. The actual fingernail originates at the base of the nail from what is known as a growth plate. The growth plate or cuticle is the area where the skin of the finger connects to the nail.
The fingernail is formed from the cells located in the growth plate called the epithelial cells. There are three types of epithelial cells: squamous, cuboidal, and columnar. As these cells age they are pushed outward by newly generated epithelial cells at the base of the nail in the growth plate. These cells that have been pushed forward, in the never-ending process, eventually die, allowing the inside of the cell to be taken over by the hard protein keratin which is why our fingernails are so hard and constantly growing.
The fingernail is formed from the cells located in the growth plate called the epithelial cells. There are three types of epithelial cells: squamous, cuboidal, and columnar. As these cells age they are pushed outward by newly generated epithelial cells at the base of the nail in the growth plate. These cells that have been pushed forward, in the never-ending process, eventually die, allowing the inside of the cell to be taken over by the hard protein keratin which is why our fingernails are so hard and constantly growing.
