lanugo
American Heritage Dictionary:
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la·nu·go
(lə-nū'gō, -nyū'-) 
n., pl., -gos.
A covering of fine, soft hair, as on a leaf, an insect, or a newborn child.
n., pl., -gos.
A covering of fine, soft hair, as on a leaf, an insect, or a newborn child.
[Middle English, pith, from Latin lānūgō, down, from lāna, wool.]
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Lanugo
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| ICD-10 | Q84.2 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 757.4 |
| DiseasesDB | 30821 |
Lanugo is fine, downy hair as a type of fur. It is often found in teratomas (congenital tumours).
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Contents
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In humans
Fetal development
Lanugo grows on fetuses as a normal part of gestation, but is usually shed and replaced by vellus hair at about 33 to 36 weeks of gestational age. As the lanugo is shed from the skin, it is normal for the developing fetus to consume the hair with the fluid, since it drinks from the amniotic fluid and urinates it back into its environment. Subsequently, the lanugo contributes to the newborn baby's meconium. The presence of lanugo in newborns is a sign of premature birth.
Lanugo can be explained as a remnant of our primate ancestry: fetal monkeys also develop a coat of hair at about the same stage of development. Their hair, however, does not fall out and they are born with a fully fledged coat of hair. There is no known need for a human embryo to have this transitory coat of hair, as the womb is at normal human body temperature.[1]
A hypothesis, according to the NHS, is that lanugo has to do with temperature regulation.[2]
Malnutrition
Lanugo can be observed in malnourished patients, including those with eating disorders. When found along with other physical symptoms, lanugo can help a physician make a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa.[3]
In non-human animals
Lanugo is also common on other animals. For example, seals[4] and elephants[5][6][7] are often born with a covering of lanugo.
Fetal whales[8] , like humans and all other primates and monkeys, also have lanugo, a remnant of when their ancestors lived on land.
References
- ^ "Why Evolution is True". Why Evolution is True. Penguin Books. http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com., Chapter 3 - Remnants: Vestiges, Embryos, and Bad Design, pg 80, Jerry Coyne, 2009
- ^ "You and your baby at 21-24 weeks". NHS choices. NHS. http://www.nhs.uk/planners/pregnancycareplanner/pages/24weeks.aspx. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
- ^ "Treating Eating Disorders in Primary Care", P.M. Williams, et al, American Family Physician, Vol 77 (2): January 15, 2008
- ^ Growth and Development of Mediterranean Monk Seal Pups during Rehabilitation, E. Androukaki, E. Fatsea, L. 't Hart, A.D.M.E. Osterhaus, E. Tounta, S. Kotomatas, Monachus Science Posters, The Monachus Guardian, Vol. 5 (1): May 2002, This poster was presented at the 16th ECS (European Cetacean Society) Conference, "Marine Mammal Health: from Individuals to Populations", 7–11 April 2002, Liege, Belgium.
- ^ Ecology of the Asian Elephant in Lowland Dry Zone Habitats of the Mahaweli River Basin, Sri Lanka Natarajan Ishwaran Journal of Tropical Ecology, Vol. 9, No. 2 (May, 1993), pp. 169-182
- ^ The Hair, Paul MacKenzie, Elephant Information Repository website
- ^ Elephant Hair, Elephant Anatomy, Animal Corner website
- ^ "Why Evolution is True". Why Evolution is True. Penguin Books. http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com., Chapter 3 - Remnants: Vestiges, Embryos, and Bad Design, pg 80, Jerry Coyne, 2009
External links
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Look up lanugo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- Photo of lanugo in a human infant, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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