The deepest layer of the epidermis, the basal cell layer, is also known as the _____.

• A. Stratum germinativum
• B. Stratum corneum
• C. Stratum lucidum
• D. Stratum granulosum

Answer: (A)

New skin cells are produced in the deepest part of the epidermis, where cell division keeps the skin renewing itself. That active generation is why this layer is called the germinative layer—the term means it germinates or generates new cells. It’s also known as the basal layer because it sits on the basement membrane and serves as the origin for all the epidermal cells. As you move outward, the cells differentiate and keratinize through the upper layers, which explains why the outer layers are different: the outermost layer is made of dead cells forming a protective barrier; the layer called lucidum appears only in thick skin; the granulosum is where keratinization begins. So the deepest layer that generates new cells is stratum germinativum.