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Telogen

Definition

The resting phase of the hair cycle, lasting two to four months in scalp hair. The root forms a club-shaped, non-pigmented bulb. Telogen hairs shed passively and carry no viable nucleated root cells; only mitochondrial DNA can be recovered from the shaft.

Related terms

Anagen
The active growth phase of the hair cycle, lasting two to six years in scalp hair. During anagen the root matrix is...
Cortex
The middle, and largest, layer of the hair shaft. It contains cortical cells, pigment granules (melanin), and cortical fusi (air spaces). The...
Cuticle
The waxy, polymer layer covering the outer surface of leaf epidermal cells. It protects against water loss and herbivory but, forensically, it...
Follicular tag
Translucent sheath tissue adhering to the root of a forcibly pulled hair. Contains nucleated epithelial cells from the inner root sheath and...
Medulla
The central canal of the hair shaft, which may be continuous, interrupted, fragmented, or absent. Medullary pattern and the medullary index (medulla...

Explained in

  • Hair Anatomy and the Growth CycleThe resting phase of the hair cycle, lasting two to four months in scalp hair. The root forms a club-shaped, non-pigmented bulb. Telogen hairs shed passively a...

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