What term describes the thickening of the stratum corneum due to dead cell accumulation?

The term that refers to the thickening of the stratum corneum due to the accumulation of dead skin cells is hyperkeratosis. This condition occurs when there is an overproduction of keratin, a key structural protein in the skin, leading to an increase in the outer layer's thickness. The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin, composed of dead keratinized cells that play a crucial role in barrier function. When hyperkeratosis occurs, it can be a response to various stimuli, such as repeated friction or irritation, which leads to an adaptive thickening as a protective mechanism.

In contrast, hypertrophy typically refers to an increase in the size of an organ or tissue, not specifically to the thickening of the epidermis or stratum corneum. Desquamation is the process of shedding dead skin cells and does not involve thickening but rather the removal of these cells. Keratinization refers more broadly to the process by which cells in the epidermis become filled with keratin and move to the surface, where they eventually die and contribute to the stratum corneum, but it doesn’t specifically indicate an increase in thickness. Thus, hyperkeratosis is the term that