Glomus body

Last revised by Abdullah Suliman Alwohaibi on 7 Jan 2021

The glomus body is a component of the dermis that is involved in thermoregulation. 

Gross anatomy

It consists of a specialized arteriovenous anastomosis surrounded by a connective tissue capsule. They are most numerous in the fingers and toes and exist to shunt blood from the skin surface when the surface temperature is low, thereby preventing heat loss. In warm weather, blood flow to the skin surface is increased resulting in increased heat dissipation.

Related pathology

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