Joseph Merrick was originally thought to be suffering from elephantiasis. In 1971, Ashley Montagu suggested in his book The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity that Merrick suffered from neurofibromatosis type I, a genetic disorder also known as von Recklinghausen's disease.
Layers of the Epidermis. The epidermis is divided into five layers. From outside to inside (dermis). Of note, Langerhans cells, which are specialized antigen-presenting cells are present in all layers of the epidermis but are mostly in the stratum spinosum.
There are 3 main types of cells in the top layer of the skin (called the epidermis): Squamous cells: These are flat cells in the outer part of the epidermis that are constantly shed as new ones form. Basal cells: These cells are in the lower part of the epidermis, called the basal cell layer.