▁the ▁bas ale ▁layer . ▁The ▁daughter ▁cells ▁( see ▁cell ▁division ) ▁move ▁up ▁the ▁str ata ▁changing ▁shape ▁and ▁composition ▁as ▁they ▁die ▁due ▁to ▁isol ation ▁from ▁their ▁blood ▁source . ▁The ▁cy top las m ▁is ▁released ▁and ▁the ▁protein ▁ker atin ▁is ▁inserted . ▁They ▁eventually ▁reach ▁the ▁cor neum ▁and ▁sl ough ▁off ▁( des qu am ation ). ▁This ▁process ▁is ▁called ▁" ker atin ization ". ▁This ▁ker atin ized ▁layer ▁of ▁skin ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁keeping ▁water ▁in ▁the ▁body ▁and ▁keeping ▁other ▁harm ful ▁chemical s ▁and ▁path og ens ▁out , ▁making ▁skin ▁a ▁natural ▁bar rier ▁to ▁in fection . ▁ ▁Com ponents ▁The ▁e pid erm is ▁contains ▁no ▁blood ▁vessels ▁and ▁is ▁n our ished ▁by ▁diffusion ▁from ▁the ▁der mis . ▁The ▁main ▁type ▁of ▁cells ▁that ▁make ▁up ▁the ▁e pid erm is ▁are ▁ker atin ocy tes , ▁mel an ocy tes , ▁L anger h ans ▁cells , ▁and ▁Mer kel ▁cells . ▁The ▁e pid erm is ▁helps ▁the ▁skin ▁reg ulate ▁body ▁temperature . ▁ ▁L ay ers ▁The ▁e pid erm is ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁several ▁layers , ▁where ▁cells ▁are ▁formed ▁through ▁mit osis ▁at ▁the ▁inn erm ost ▁layers . ▁They ▁move ▁up ▁the ▁str ata ▁changing ▁shape ▁and ▁composition ▁as ▁they ▁differenti ate ▁and ▁become ▁filled ▁with ▁ker atin . ▁They ▁eventually ▁reach ▁the ▁top ▁layer ▁called ▁str atum ▁cor neum ▁and ▁are ▁sl ough ed ▁off , ▁or