vessel elements are dead cells that are part of
Vessel element At maturity the protoplast – the living material of the cell – dies and disappears, but the lignified cell walls persist. A vessel element is then a dead cell, but one that still has a function, and is still being protected by surrounding living cells.
Stratum corneum The stratum corneum (Latin for 'horny layer') is the outermost layer of the epidermis, consisting of dead cells (corneocytes). This layer is composed of 15â€“20 layers of flattened cells with no nuclei and cell organelles. Their cytoplasm shows filamentous keratin. These corneocytes are embedded in a lipid matrix composed of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids.[2]