Lamellar bodies in the Stratum Corneum secrete what to create the intercellular cement?

• A. Water
• B. Lipids
• C. Melanin
• D. Proteins

Answer: (B)

Lamellar bodies deliver lipid-rich material into the spaces between corneocytes in the stratum granulosum, forming the intercellular cement that creates the lipid barrier of the stratum corneum. This cement, made up of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids, organizes into lamellar lipid sheets that fill the extracellular gaps and prevent excessive water loss. Water regulation depends on this lipid barrier, not on a secreted water component. Melanin is produced by melanocytes, not released to form the cement, and while proteins are important for cell structure, the intercellular cement itself is lipid-rich.