Embryology, Lanugo

Excerpt

Lanugo is fine, soft, unpigmented hair that is often present in fetuses, newborns, and certain disease states. While lanugo is a normal finding in fetuses, its presence in an older person might be an indication of underlying pathology. Many different cell types and molecular mechanisms contribute to the development of lanugo, and it is an important tissue type necessary to ensure normal fetal development.