For an article on the anatomical structure see eponychium.

In human anatomy, the cuticle is the fold of skin at the proximal end of the nail. The Eponychium or cuticle in human anatomy refers to the thickened layer of skin surrounding the fingernails and toenails. ... Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu(extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens Homo (genus). ... Anatomical drawing of the human muscles from the Encyclopédie. ...

Cuticle is also used as a term for the exoskeleton, outside of epidermis of many invertebrates. An exoskeleton, in contrast to an endoskeleton, is an external anatomical feature that supports and protects an animals body. ... Epidermis could refer to: In plants, the outermost layer of cells covering the leaves and young parts of a plant, see plant dermal tissue system. ... Invertebrate is a term coined by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck to describe any animal without a spinal column. ...

In botany the cuticle is the waxy covering produced by the epidermal cells of leaves to protect the plant from excessive water loss. The cuticle is thicker in plants living in dry climates than in those from wet climates, and tends to be thicker on the top of the leaf. Botany is the scientific study of plant life. ... Epidermis could refer to: In plants, the outermost layer of cells covering the leaves and young parts of a plant, see plant dermal tissue system. ... In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. ... Divisions Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants Adiantum pedatum (a...

The cuticle is mostly composed of cutin and waxes. "The waxy sheet of cuticle also function in defense, forming a physical barrier that resists penetration by virus particles, baterial cells, and the spores or growing filaments of fungi". (Freeman, 2002). Cutin, as a structural component of the cuticle, is covered with cuticular and epicuticular waxes, a mixture of hydrophobic materials containing C26 to C36 aliphatic compounds. Cutin is a waxy substance which is a component of cuticle at the surface of leaves in plants. ... Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by bees (beeswax) and used by them in constructing their honeycombs. ... ...

Source

• Freeman, Scott. Biological Science: Prentice-Hall, Inc: New Jersey. pp710

The cuticle is an important aspect of manicuring. Remove of excess cuticle is essential for hand maintinance.