<P> The stratum basale (basal layer, sometimes referred to as stratum germinativum) is the deepest layer of the five layers of the epidermis, the outer covering of skin in mammals . </P> <P> The stratum basale is a continuous layer of cells . It is often described as one cell thick, though it may in fact be two to three cells thick in glabrous skin (hairless), and hyperproliferative epidermis (from a skin disease). </P>

Where is the stratum basale located and what is its function