Epidermis: Definition, Structure & Function - A Comprehensive Guide

Epidermis

1. The outermost layer of the skin of a plant or other multicellular organism, consisting of closely packed cells typically without chloroplasts. The epidermis protects plants from desiccation, infection, and mechanical damage, and regulates the exchange of gases and water vapor with the atmosphere.

2. The outer layer of stratified squamous epithelium that forms the outermost layer of skin in vertebrates. The epidermis consists of multiple layers of keratinized cells and serves as a physical barrier between the internal body and the external environment.