The half moon shape at the base of the nail is called the lanula. Which of the following is true about lanula?

• A. Lanula is the visible part of the nail matrix
• B. Lanula is the nail bed
• C. Lanula is the free edge
• D. Lanula is the cuticle

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the half-moon at the base of the nail comes from the nail matrix—the tissue that produces the nail plate. The pale, half‑moon area you see is the part of the matrix that is visible through the nail plate, so it’s described as the visible part of the nail matrix. The nail bed is the skin beneath the nail plate, which usually gives the rest of the nail its pink color; the free edge is the portion that extends beyond the fingertip; the cuticle is the protective skin at the base of the nail. So the lunula is the visible part of the nail matrix.