From which structure does the natural nail grow?

The natural nail grows from the matrix, the area of living tissue beneath the base of the nail where nail cells are produced. As new cells form, they push older cells forward, and these harden into the visible nail plate. Because the matrix is the growth center, damage to it can result in permanent nail deformity. The lunula is the part of the matrix visible through the nail as a pale half-moon. Understanding that the matrix is the source of nail growth is essential nail science.