What is the term for the narrow band of epidermis located above the lunula?

The term for the narrow band of epidermis located above the lunula is eponychium. The eponychium, commonly referred to as the cuticle, serves as a protective barrier between the nail and the skin, helping to protect the area from infections and promoting the overall health of the nail. It is composed of living skin cells and plays an important role in the nail growth process.

The other terms relate to different aspects of the nail or skin anatomy. The matrix is the tissue located beneath the base of the nail, responsible for producing new nail cells. The cuticle often confuses people as it is commonly used interchangeably with eponychium in layman's terms, but in a strict anatomical sense, the cuticle refers to the dead tissue that lies over the eponychium. The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin, composed mostly of dead cells that help protect underlying tissues but does not specifically refer to the area above the lunula on the nail.