Dermal Cord

I have been given a peice of coursework and one of the questions is definition of a 'dermal cord' does any1 know what this is? would help me a lot as I cant find it in any books/google/or ask.com

many thanks

Gem x

Never heard of it. I have looked through Grays anatomy and six other Anatomy books. No sign anywhere. It is strange because dermal refers to the skin. If you are on a course you should have received a hand out or manual with the dermal cord in or on it?

PS have spoken to my doctor friend who says are you sure that they do not mean the spinal cord or the umbilical cord?

I was intrigued so googled and found this:-

http://www.thebeautysedge.com/hairdev.shtml
The Follicle and Hair.
The second stage of development:
Catagen:
After a period of active growth, a brief catagen stage follows. This stage begins when the papilla separates from the hair follicle. The hair follicle then shortens (shrinks) upwards to about one third of its former length. A thin dermal cord made up of epidermal cells and hair germ cells forms at the base of the shrunken follicle. The inactive papilla also moves upward and is attached to the bottom of the dermal cords. The hairs in catagen stage are still held in place by the follicle walls. The period the hair is in the catagen stage is very brief, from a few days to a few weeks. Sometimes it is so short that the follicle has no time to collapse, therefore a new hair grows from the papilla, before the club hair (catagen stage) has shed. This is very typical of a heavy growth area where you often see 2 hairs growing from the same follicle. Once you epilated both hairs you will notice, that it has a good root structure while the other hairs are shorter and have no bulb.

I also found this definition:
Slender cord of hair germ cells which enables the retreating follicle to maintain contact with the dermal papilla.

(Hair germ - Consists of undifferentiated cells, which produce new hair when stimulated by circulating hormones and enzyme action).

HTH
Moonfairy
x