What is the lunula and where is it located?

• A. The pink, crescent area at the base of the nail.
• B. The hard outer protective layer of the nail.
• C. The visible white crescent at the base of the nail near the cuticle, indicating the matrix.
• D. The fold of skin at the side of the nail.

Answer: (C)

The lunula is the visible white crescent at the base of the nail, near the cuticle, and it marks the part of the nail matrix—the tissue that produces the cells that become the nail. Its pale appearance comes from the fact that the matrix lies under the skin, and only a portion is visible through the nail plate. The pink area you may see at the base is the nail bed, not the lunula; the hard outer layer is the nail plate; and the fold of skin at the side is the lateral nail fold. So, the lunula is that white crescent indicating the matrix located at the proximal base of the nail.