Above the basal layer is the spinous layer. Above the spinous layer is the granular layer. And above the granular layer is the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum is the outer layer of dead cells, the cells that we see as our skin. The cells in this layer are filled with a very strong protein called keratin. Horns, hair, hoofs, fingernails, and feathers all gain their strength from this remarkable structure. It is the keratin that makes your skin so tough. In parts of the body that get a lot of wear, like the palms and the feet, the stratum corneum is forms much thicker layers, to handle the abrasion.
Living among the basal cells in the malpighian layer is another type of cell called a melanocyte. Melanocytes produce melanin, which is a pigment that is the source of both tanning and naturally dark skin color, such as in @African-Americans. The Encyclopedia @Britannica describes melanocytes in the following way:
"The appearance of the skin is partly due to the reddish pigment in the blood of the superficial vessels. In the main, however, it is determined by melanin, a pigment manufactured by dendritic cells called melanocytes, found among the basal cells of the epidermis.
