Here is a photo of skin, stratified squamous epithelium (here called "epidermis") joining the connective tissue of the dermis. You can sort-of appreciate that the cells of the lowest layer have scanty cytoplasm. This is called the basal layer.

Look for cells surrounded by prickles higher up. The prickles are desmosomes, and the layer is the "spiny" or "prickle" layer.

This is dermal-epidermal junction.

With your study partners, find:

• basal layer of the epidermis


• spiny layer of the epidermis


• desmosomes ("prickles")


• dermis

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Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences