Melanin

Albinism is a skin disease that’s caused by little to no production of melanin. This disorder can affect vison, skin, hair and the person’s ability to tan. Certain genes in our body are responsible for making proteins that are involved in making melanin, which is produced by cells called melanocytes. Albinism is caused when a mutation occurs in one of these genes. It’s also caused by recessive inheritance. This means that a person has to inherit two copies of one mutated gene- one from each…

Melanocytes are cells that are responsible for producing and creating melanin, and that is what makes us all so unique. People come in various different shades of color and the reason behind it is melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives humans the different shades of color for their hair, skin and eyes. Melanocytes is located in the epidermis layer, which is why it is important that we have protection. Melanin is what protects our skin from the effects that one may encounter from the sun.…

also affects the eyes but will make also make an individual’s skin and hair white. Oculocutaneous albinism type 1, one of the subtypes of albinism is caused by a mutation in the tyrosinase gene which is due to hypopigmentation due to the lack of melanin production. Currently, there are no known cures for albinism, but there are certain measures that an albino person may need to take. Examples would be to wear glasses or contact lenses for corrective vision and wearing appropriate clothing to…

Skin color is determined by five main pigments; melanin, keratin, melanoid, hemoglobin, and oxyhemoglobin. According to most researchers skin color first evolved from the Africans when they migrated to Asia and Europe. Human skin color is very diverse; it ranges all the way from dark brown to white. The Human Genome Project is one of the most known experiments to help scientists map the genome both physically and functionally. Human skin acts as a physical barrier that protects chemical and…

on the production of pink/gold melanin. The pink/gold melanin is absorbed in a spectrophotometer set at 475nm, which reflects the activity rate of polyphenol-oxidase. Polyphenol-oxidase is found in the potato extract in phosphate buffer ph6, which influences the production of melanin due to the interaction of 0.1% catechol and phosphate buffer pH6. The purpose of the phosphate buffer pH6 is to mimic the cell’s cytoplasm. Furthermore, the production of pink/gold melanin is already occurring due…

Each year at least 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are reported and diagnosed and almost 90% is caused of UV light usually from the sun. Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States. Skin cancer has always been a very important for Floridians, due to the fact of sun exposure. The radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancers; this exposure causes anyone likely to get skin cancer. The risk is greater for some than others, such as, people with sensitive, or…

He explains why it is better for people to have lighter skin colors if they live at higher altitudes because it allows to make more Vitamin D. At high altitudes there is not much sunlight. Melanin acts like a natural sunscreen. The darker your skin color the more melanin you have, so the less sunlight you will be able to absorb. The UV from the sun allows for the production of Vitamin D. This is an evolutionary adaptation that is advantageous because the different pigmentations…

Albinism is a genetic disorder characterized by a minimal production of melanin in the skin due to mutations in several genes. These variety of mutations can result in an immensely lower amount of melanin produced in the skin. For instance, there are four sorts of albinism that are determined by which mutated gene had created the disorder. They consist of oculocutaneous albinism, x-linked ocular albinism, hermansky-pudlak syndrome, and chediak-higashi syndrome. Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is…

exposure, which is why they are more prevalent the older you get. They appear in areas more exposed to sun, such as your face and arms. They are usually more common in people with fair skin, but anyone can get them. They are caused by too much melanin, and since melanin is produced from sun exposure to the skin, age spots are caused by time…

of natural selection, including reproductive health and migration, as well as cultural behaviors have influenced the variety of skin colors that we see today. To start with, the melanin in our skin protects us from UVB rays. The going census amongst scientists has been that darker skin adapted to have more melanin because of the need to protect ourselves from UVB rays, and getting skin cancer. While the authors think this contributed, they go a bit…