This shows two melanocytes in the basal layer of skin. You can also see how the prickle cells in the stratum spinosum layers, appear to have a veil of melanin over the nucleus. Show
Overall skin colour depends on:
Melanin is made by melanocytes.Up to 8% (1 in every 5 to 10 cells) in the epidermis is a melanocyte (melano means black) make up 8% of the epidermal cells. Melanocytes make the pigment called melanin. Tyrosine is converted into dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) which is then polymerised into melanin. The melanin pigment binds to protein, and the melanoprotein is transferred along the long dendritic processes of the melanocyte in vesicles (called melanosomes). The tips of these processes are then phagocytosed by the surrounding keratinocytes, which then take up the melanin. Melanin protects cells from damage by UV, by producing a 'veil' over the nucleus. Melanocytes are found in the stratum basale layer. About 1 in every 5 to 10 cells in this layer is a melanocyte. Melanocyte number is the same in all races.In different races, the number of melanocytes is THE SAME. In light skinned people, the melanin is concentrated deep in the epidermis, particularly in the stratum basale layer. Differences in skin colour depend on how much melanin is produced, the size of the melanosomes, and the degree to which they aggregate. The amount of melanin made can be increased by increasing exposure to UV light. However, albinos cannot make this pigment. The color of the skin is a commonly used parameter to assess different aspects and conditions of the skin. It depends mainly on its pigment content, on the spectrum of the illuminating light, and on the quality of the cutaneous surface. When light impinges on the skin, a few percents are directly reflected by the surface (specular reflection) whereas entering photons are either absorbed or scattered by different molecules and structures present in the cutaneous layers. The pigments of the skin, also called chromophores, are mainly represented by melanin in the epidermis and by hemoglobin in the dermis. Other molecules such as bilirubin, amino acids, nucleic acids, porphyrins, and carotenoids (endogenously produced) may participate at different levels to the absorbing and reflecting process of the light. The pigmentation of the skin is related to the melanin amount in the keratinocytes. The various contents of melanin in the keratinocytes produce the wide spectrum of human skin color found in the different human races. Two classes of melanins are found in humans: the eumelanins which are brown to black pigments and the phaeomelanins which are yellow to reddish-brown (Fitzpatrick et al. 1979). Melanin absorbs in a decreasing manner from ultraviolet (UV) (highest absorption) to visible light domain. On the other hand, hemoglobin in the dermal microvasculature contributes to the overall skin color with a red dominant for oxygenated hemoglobin and bluish red for reduced hemoglobin. Here again, the hemoglobin contribution to the skin color depends on the melanin amount in the keratinocytes which acts as a neutral filter; it is readily visible in fair-skinned people, and practically not observable in deeply melanized skin (Stamatas et al. 2008; Diffey and Robson 1992). Keywords
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Rights and permissionsReprints and Permissions Copyright information© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland About this entryCite this entryDuteil, L., Roussel, K., Bahadoran, P. (2017). Skin Color and Pigmentation. In: Humbert, P., Fanian, F., Maibach, H., Agache, P. (eds) Agache's Measuring the Skin. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32383-1_5 What are the 3 main skin color determining pigments?Skin color is a blend resulting from the skin chromophores red (oxyhaemoglobin), blue (deoxygenated haemoglobin), yellow-orange (carotene, an exogenous pigment), and brown (melanin).
What are the pigments that contribute to skin color?Skin color is determined by a pigment (melanin) made by specialized cells in the skin (melanocytes). The amount and type of melanin determines a person's skin color.
What are the three pigments in the skin and how do they contribute to skin color quizlet?Melanin, hemoglobin, and carotene are three pigments that impart a wide variety of colors to skin. The amount of melanin causes the skin's color to vary from pale yellow to reddish-brown to black.
What are the three colors of melanin?There are three different types of melanin, including:. Eumelanin. There are two types of eumelanin: black and brown. ... . Pheomelanin. This type of melanin pigments your lips, nipples and other pinkish parts of your body. ... . Neuromelanin.. |
What are the three pigments that contribute to skin color
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