Corneous

Corneous refers to the nature of being horn-like or having the characteristics of horn. It is a term often used in anatomy and histology to describe certain types of tissues or structures in the body. The term is derived from the Latin word "cornu" which means horn.

Overview

In the context of human anatomy, corneous is used to describe the outermost layer of the skin, also known as the stratum corneum. This layer is composed of dead skin cells that have been transformed into a tough, protective barrier through a process called keratinization. The cells in this layer are filled with a protein called keratin, which gives them their hard, horn-like quality.

Corneous Layer of the Skin

The corneous layer of the skin, or the stratum corneum, is the outermost layer of the epidermis. It is composed of 15-20 layers of flattened cells with no nuclei and cell organelles. Their cytoplasm shows filamentous keratin. These cells are continuously shed and replaced by new ones from the lower layers.

The main function of the corneous layer is to form a barrier to protect underlying tissue from infection, dehydration, chemicals and mechanical stress. The extreme toughness and resilience of this layer is due to the presence of keratin, a fibrous protein that is also the main constituent of hair and nails.

Corneous in Other Organisms

In other organisms, corneous can refer to various structures that are made of a hard, horn-like material. For example, in birds, the beak is often described as being corneous. In reptiles, the scales are corneous. In insects, the exoskeleton is corneous.

See Also

• Keratin
• Epidermis
• Stratum corneum
• Histology

References

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