Pigmentation Revisited

By: Peter T. Pugliese, MD

Posted: February 26, 2009, from the March 2009 issue of Skin Inc. magazine.

Images

• Figure 1: Cross Section of Human Embryo
• Figure 2: Migration of Melanoblasts
• Figure 3: Tyrosinase in Stage II Melanosome
• Figure 4: Synthesis of Melanin
• Figure 5: Melanin
• Figure 6: Stimulators of Melanogenesis
• Figure 7: Melanosomes to Keratinocytes

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l Microtubules are one of the components of the cytoskeleton. They serve as structural components within cells and function in cellular processes including mitosis, cytokinesis and transport.

References

1. AA Zimmerman and SW Becker, Melanocytes and melanoblasts in fetal negro skin, In Illinois Monographs in Medical Science, University of Illinois Medical Press: Urbana, IL (1959) pp 1–55

2. E Wenczl, GP Van der Schans, L Roza, RM Kolb, AJ Timmerman, NP Smit, S Pavel and AA Schothorst, (Pheo)melanin photosensitizes UVA-induced DNA damage in cultured human melanocytes, J Invest Dermatol 111 678–682 (1998)

3. S Takeuchi, W Zhang, K Wakamatsu, S Ito, VJ Hearing, KH Kraemer and DE Brash, Melanin acts as a potent UVB photosensitizer to cause an atypical mode of cell death in marine skin, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101 15076–15081 (2004)

4. SA Grando, MR Pittelkow, KU Schallreuter, Adrenergic and cholinergic control in the biology of epidermis: physiological and clinical significance, J Invest Dermatol 126(9) 1948–1965 (2006)