▁des qu am ated . ▁This ▁process ▁is ▁called ▁ker atin ization ▁and ▁takes ▁place ▁within ▁weeks . ▁The ▁outer most ▁layer ▁of ▁the ▁e pid erm is ▁consists ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁to ▁ 3 0 ▁layers ▁of ▁dead ▁cells . ▁ ▁Sub layers ▁The ▁e pid erm is ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁the ▁following ▁ 5 ▁sub layers ▁or ▁str ata : ▁Str atum ▁cor neum ▁Str atum ▁luc id um ▁Str atum ▁gran ulos um ▁Str atum ▁sp inos um ▁Str atum ▁bas ale ▁( also ▁called ▁" str atum ▁germ in ativ um ") ▁ ▁Blood ▁cap ill aries ▁are ▁found ▁beneath ▁the ▁e pid erm is ▁and ▁are ▁linked ▁to ▁an ▁ar ter io le ▁and ▁a ▁ven ule . ▁Ar ter ial ▁sh unt ▁vessels ▁may ▁by pass ▁the ▁network ▁in ▁ears , ▁the ▁nose ▁and ▁f ing ert ips . ▁ ▁Gen es ▁and ▁prote ins ▁expressed ▁in ▁the ▁e pid erm is ▁ ▁About ▁ 7 0 % ▁of ▁all ▁human ▁protein - c oding ▁gen es ▁are ▁expressed ▁in ▁the ▁skin . ▁Al most ▁ 5 0 0 ▁gen es ▁have ▁an ▁elev ated ▁pattern ▁of ▁expression ▁in ▁the ▁skin . ▁There ▁are ▁less ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁gen es ▁that ▁are ▁specific ▁for ▁the ▁skin , ▁and ▁these ▁are ▁expressed ▁in ▁the ▁e pid erm is . ▁An ▁analysis ▁of ▁the ▁corresponding ▁prote ins ▁show ▁that ▁these ▁are ▁mainly ▁expressed ▁in ▁ker atin ocy tes ▁and ▁have ▁functions ▁related ▁to ▁squ am ous