Which epidermal layer contains cells whose membranes are dying but still have distinct nuclei?

The stratum granulosum is the epidermal layer where keratinocytes begin the process of keratinization. During this stage, the cells are still somewhat intact and have distinct nuclei, although they are beginning to die as they undergo changes. This layer is characterized by the accumulation of keratohyalin granules, which play a crucial role in the formation of keratin and the water barrier properties of the skin.

In the stratum granulosum, the cells are transitioning from living, metabolically active keratinocytes to more flattened, dead cells as they migrate towards the surface of the skin. This process involves the breakdown of cell membranes, leading to cell death, but it is in this layer that the cells still retain recognizable nuclei, differentiating it from layers where cells are fully dead and no longer exhibit nuclear structures, such as the stratum corneum.