nail matrix keratinocyte
nail matrix keratinocyte
A keratinocyte that is part of the nail matrix epithelium, distinguished by its high proliferative capacity and its role in nail plate formation via onychokeratinization, a differentiation process that uniquely bypasses the formation of a granular layer, resulting in the production of hard, compact keratin. Unlike skin epidermal keratinocytes, this cell expresses a distinctive mix of hard (hair-type) and select epidermal keratins (Kitahara and Ogawa, 1993). In humans, LGR6 and WNT6 are enriched in the basal compartment, with LGR6 marking nail stem cells in both mice and humans, and exhibiting strong expression in the human proximal nail matrix (Kim et al., 2021).