Main Model
Superior : Spinous layer of epidermis
The Stratum Spinosum (Spinous or Prickle Cell Layer)
Stratum spinosum, several cells thick, is formed of irregular, polyhedral cells
with large, spherical nuclei and basophilic cytoplasm exhibiting more tonofibrils.
The epithelial cells in this layer are characterized by the presence of "intercellular
bridges" (a shrinkage artifact of fixation) formed by protoplasmic processes from
adjacent cells. At the level of electron microscopy, the processes of the "intercellular bridges" are found to be connected by desmosomes. Usually, the stratum
spinosum together with the stratum basale is called the stratum germinativum or stratum Malpighii.