Abstract
Aggregates of primitive germ cells of the basal layer of the embryonic epidermis are the first sketches of the future folliculo-sebaceous–apocrine unit.
The common embryological origin of these three elements of the folliculo-sebaceous–apocrine unit has enormous importance to understand the differentiation of follicular, sebaceous, and apocrine neoplasms.
The hair follicle is divided into three segments, which from above to below are the infundibulum, the isthmus, and the lower segment.
All the changes of the follicular cycle occur only in the lower segment (mobile or transient part of the follicle), while the isthmus and infundibulum remain unchanged (fixed or permanent part of the hair follicle).
Each follicular cycle consists of three phases: (1) anagen or growth, which usually is the longest phase; (2) catagen or involution, a short phase that follows the end of anagen, during which follicular growth ceases and the lower segment retracts and ascends in the dermis; and (3) telogen or resting phase of variable duration, following the end of catagen and during which the follicle seems enter in a resting phase.
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Requena, L., Sangüeza, O. (2017). Embryology, Histology, and Physiology of the Hair Follicle. In: Cutaneous Adnexal Neoplasms. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45704-8_36
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45704-8_36
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