Answer: Squamous epithelial cells
Explanation: Squamous epithelial cells form the outer layer of skin, but they serve much more than a cosmetic role. Your skin protects against invasion from bacteria and other infectious organisms. Throughout life, you collect a thin film of bacteria on your skin. If these squamous epithelial cells didn’t form a tough barrier, the bacteria would penetrate the skin and invade your body. Disorders in which this barrier is lost—such as in burns—can place an individual at great risk for infection.
