Onychomycoses

The human nail is formed from variably keratinized epithelial structures. The part of the nail organ which is the actual nail plate constitutes the end-product of keratinized cells produced by the matrix. The matrix cells lose their nuclei, become strati­ fied and keratinized, and are added to the firm nail plate al­ ready present. It is usually transparent or translucent, smooth and keratinous in structure, pushed forward by the keratin layer of the nail bed and growing out distally as a free