ID#: 7857
Caption:
At a magnification of 243X, this 2005 scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image depicts the morphological characteristics seen at the distal end of a domesticated cat, Felis catus, claw. Note the flakey appearance of the claw’s lamellar, or layered configuration, which signifies the sloughing of the keratinized cells that comprise the nail matrix. This claw had been sloughed off a cat’s paw in the course of its everyday activities. This sloughing process produces what are termed claw husks, which are ghost-like remnants reflecting the overall shape of the original nail. The claw is constructed from keratin, a dense, durable protein, which is also the primary constituent of skin and hair. The outer, hard-layered portion of the claw is called the unguis, and the inner, softer, underside layer is termed the subunguis. Note the dead, sloughing keratinized cells, from which the claw is composed.
High Resolution: Click here for hi-resolution image (5.48 MB)
Content Provider(s): CDC/ Janice Haney Carr
Creation Date: 2005
Photo Credit: Janice Haney Carr
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