Ava Monroe
Fingernails are made of a tough, protective protein called keratin, which is also found in hair and skin. They are made up of three layers of tissue and are formed from living cells that originate in the nail root, or matrix, beneath the skin. The cells die and harden as they move outward, forming the nail plate, or body, which is the only part of the nail that is visible. The rest of the nail, including the nail bed, is alive and contains nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue. Fingernails serve several important functions, including strengthening the fingertips, enhancing grip, improving fine motor movements, and protecting the fingertips from injuries and infections.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Keratin, a tough, rigid protein |
| Function | Protects fingertips, enhances grip, improves fine motor movements, acts as a tool |
| Growth | Fingernails: 3-3.47mm per month; Toenails: 1-1.62mm per month |
| Health Indicator | Discoloration, thinning, thickening, brittleness, etc. can indicate illness, nutrient deficiencies, or local injury |
| Care | Trim regularly, file to prevent roughness and remove bumps/ridges, maintain hygiene |
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What You'll Learn
Fingernails are made of a protein called keratin
Ribosomes are essential for keratinocytes to produce keratin, enabling the formation of robust tissues like hair and nails. Ribosomes are organelles that synthesize proteins, and since keratin is a protein, a high quantity of ribosomes is required for its production.
Keratin proteins are assembled as coiled coils: two right-handed helical polypeptide chains (monomers) are twisted into alpha-helix and beta-sheet structures. The alpha-keratins can be "hard" or "soft", with nail plates containing 80-90% hard keratins and the remaining part being soft. The hard keratins are relatively ordered in the surrounding matrix, providing tissue toughness, while the soft keratins contain loosely packed bundles of cytoplasmic microfibrils that give mechanical resilience to epithelial cells.
The part of the nail that is visible is made of dead cells, which is why cutting your nails does not hurt. However, a layer of skin under the nails, called the dermis, has sensory nerve endings. Nails are linked to a richly vascular system in the fingertips, with tiny blood vessels called capillaries sitting under the nail bed. Blood flowing through these capillaries helps nails grow and gives them their pinkish colour.
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They help us grip objects
Our fingernails play a crucial role in enhancing our grip and enabling us to perform various manual tasks with ease. They provide a solid surface for the pads of our fingers to press against when we grip objects tightly. This additional support allows us to securely hold onto items and manipulate them as needed.
The presence of fingernails also improves our ability to sense and manipulate objects in our environment. The dynamics of the human fingertip, including the interaction between the nail and the pulp, enable haptic sensing and enhance our capacity to interact with objects. The apical volar pads of the fingers are part of the somatosensory system, providing tactile feedback and haptic perception. This system, combined with our fingernails, helps us grip objects thousands of times a day, from social touching and grooming to food preparation and eating.
Fingernails serve as a protective layer for our fingertips, which are packed with nerve endings and blood vessels. They act as a hard shell, safeguarding the vulnerable and sensitive tips of our fingers. This protection is especially important when performing tasks that require a firm grip, such as opening a can or peeling an orange.
The shape of our fingernails also contributes to their functionality. The curved structure of the nail increases the surface area of the finger pad, providing a broader platform for gripping. This design improves our grip strength and allows us to confidently hold and manoeuvre objects, even those that are narrow or challenging to grasp.
Additionally, the length of our fingernails can impact our grip strength and finger manipulation abilities. Studies have shown that longer fingernails can decrease grip strength and range of motion in the fingers. This knowledge is essential for understanding how fingernail length can affect our ability to perform tasks that require a strong and precise grip.
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They can indicate health issues
While nails are made of a tough, dead substance called keratin, they start out as living cells. They are linked to a vascular environment of blood vessels, soft tissue, and cellular activity. This means that they can provide important clues about our health status, lifestyle, and recreational habits.
For example, subtle changes in the colour or texture of your nails may indicate a health issue. White nails, or leukonychia, could be the result of trauma, anaemia, dietary deficiencies, heart or kidney disease, or poisoning. Nails that are mostly white with darker rims can indicate liver problems, such as hepatitis. Yellow nails are often a sign of a fungal infection, which can cause the nail bed to retract and the nails to thicken and crumble.
Dark streaks on nails could be a sign of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. Other nail issues that should prompt a visit to a dermatologist include spoon-shaped nails (potential iron deficiency), washboard nails (a habit of picking or pushing back cuticles), pitted nails (potential alopecia areata), and clubbing (curved nails).
Additionally, redness and swelling around a nail can indicate an infection known as paronychia. If left untreated, a bacterial nail infection can worsen, causing pain and tenderness.
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They help us perform manual tasks
Fingernails are essential for performing manual tasks. They help us grip objects by providing a solid surface for the pads of our fingers to press against. This enhances the function of our fingers and makes it easier to hold and manipulate items. For example, they can assist in tying and untying knots, especially if they are slightly longer. Nails also protect the sensitive nerve endings and blood vessels in our fingertips, acting as a hard, protective shell.
The shape of our nails and fingers has evolved to improve our grip. In our primate ancestors, nails provided a larger surface area for gripping branches and improved their ability to climb trees. This evolutionary advantage has persisted, and today, our relatively wide fingers and nails allow us to grasp and manoeuvre objects effectively.
Nail health is important for maintaining their functionality. Proper hygiene, including regular handwashing and keeping nails clean and dry, helps prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. Trimming nails straight across and then gently rounding the tips can also promote healthy nail growth while maintaining their usefulness for manual tasks.
Additionally, cuticle care is crucial for nail health. Cuticles should be pushed back, and cuticle oils or creams can be applied to prevent dryness and improve the overall appearance of the nails. Moisturising the hands and nails regularly with lotions or creams can also help maintain nail health and prevent issues like peeling or brittle nails.
In summary, our fingernails play a vital role in performing manual tasks by enhancing our grip and protecting our fingertips. Their evolutionary advantages continue to benefit us today, and proper nail care ensures that we can utilise their full potential.
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They protect the fingertips
Our fingernails are alive and serve an important purpose in protecting our fingertips. Firstly, they enhance the function of our fingers, providing a solid surface for the pads of our fingers to press against when gripping something tightly. This helps us perform manual tasks more easily, such as opening a can or peeling an orange.
Fingernails also protect our fingertips by providing a hard, protective shell for our vulnerable digits. The fingertips are packed with nerve endings and blood vessels, and the nails shield these sensitive areas from injury. This protective function is especially important in survival situations, where we could use our fingernails to dig or claw the earth, similar to animals.
In addition, nails help us judge how to hold things by detecting pressure changes and increasing the sensitivity of our fingertips. This sensitivity to pressure changes is also why guitarists tend to prefer building calluses on their fingers over using fingertip protectors, as the protectors can restrict accurate fretting and cause inconvenience while playing.
Finally, fingernails can be used for self-defence and to remove lice, ticks, and other pests from our skin and hair, further protecting our fingertips from potential harm.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the part of the nail that you can see is made up of dead cells. However, the nail bed, which is the skin beneath the nail plate, has sensory nerve endings.
Finger nails are made of a tough, rigid protein called alpha-keratin.
Finger nails have several important functions in the body. They strengthen the fingertips, making them one of the strongest parts of the hand. They also protect the fingertip and surrounding soft tissues from injuries and prevent viruses and bacteria from entering the body. Additionally, they enhance fine motor movements, such as scratching and separating pages in a book or hairs on your head.
Nails grow because the cells are constantly being produced. Keratin cells form at the root and are slowly pushed forward by newly formed cells. As older cells are compacted and pushed out of the skin, they flatten and harden to form the tough shield of the
Nail growth record can show the history of recent health and physiological imbalances and has been used as a diagnostic tool since ancient times. Certain changes in the nails, such as discoloration, thinning, thickening, brittleness, or the presence of horizontal lines, can indicate illnesses in other areas of the body, nutrient deficiencies, or drug reactions.
