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The nail is a hard keratin structure that covers the distal phalanges and is connected dorsally with the skin and ventrally with the footpad. It is formed by the nail plate, which rests on the nail bed, and epithelial cells, which are continuous with the epidermis of the neighboring skin. The matrix of the nail is formed by the nail bed.
The 4X micrograph depicts an overview of the nail with, among others, dorsal skin, phalanges (osseous structures), nail bed (with the proximal part being thicker), and the matrix of the nail. The 10X, 20X, and 40X micrographs show details of the nail plate, matrix, and nail bed.
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