The Origin and Conservation of Epidermal Specificities

Conservation of the Multiplicity of Epidermal Variants throughout LifeThrough practically its entire extent the germinal layer of the epidermis of adult skin displays a high degree of uniformity.3 No structural or other qualitative "markers" have so far been discovered that enable any useful or meaningful distinction to be drawn between basal layer cells of lingual epithelium, sole-of-foot epithelium, corneal epithelium or that of the matrix of a hair follicle; they all look very similar. To what extent is this similarity indicative of a true equivalence in their fundamental biologic properties and potentialities? The very striking functional and structural differences . . .