Glomus

Glomus is a term used in biology and medicine to refer to several distinct entities that share a common origin in the Latin glomus, meaning ball or lump.

In anatomy, the glomus body, sometimes called the neuromyoarterial glomus, is a compact vascular structure in the dermis that acts in heat regulation. It comprises an arteriovenous shunt surrounded by glomus cells, with supporting capillary networks and sympathetic nerve innervation. By contracting or relaxing the glomus cells, the organ can shunt blood away from the skin to conserve heat or permit increased blood flow for heat loss.

Glomus tumors are rare, usually benign neoplasms derived from glomus cells. They commonly present as small, intensely painful nodules beneath the fingernails or toes and may be sensitive to cold. Treatment is typically surgical excision; recurrence is uncommon, but malignant variants exist.

In mycology, Glomus is a genus within the phylum Glomeromycota that forms arbuscular mycorrhizal associations with most land plants. These fungi enhance plant phosphate uptake and receive carbohydrates from the host. Because of molecular studies, the genus has undergone taxonomic revisions, with many species reclassified into related genera, while the ecological role remains central to plant nutrition.

The term glomus derives from Latin for ball or lump.