Comparative Anatomy of Mouse and Human Nail Units

The study compared the human and mouse nail units to assess their suitability for studying nail diseases. Both species shared major structures such as the proximal nail fold, cuticle, nail matrix, nail bed, nail plate, and hyponychium, with differences in nail shape and an extended hyponychium in mice. Keratin expression patterns were largely similar between the two. These findings suggested that the mouse nail unit closely resembled the human nail unit, making it a valuable model for investigating nail diseases and biology.