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Human Skin Colour Essay

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The origins of human skin colour: The origins of human skin colour remained an enigma that was to generate a multitude of misconceptions. The true source of human pigmentation was finally revealed with the discovery of the melanocyte in the 19th century. Once the amino acid tyrosine was identified to be the key enzyme in pigment formation, attention focused on elucidating the chemical structure of melanin, an enterprise that remains incomplete. Melanin is produced by the oxidation of the amino acid tyrosine, followed by polymerization. The pigment is produced in a specialized group of cells, which are the melanocytes that are found in the epidermis of your skin. There are three basic types of melanin: - Eumelanin - Pheomelanin - Neuromelanin …show more content…

This includes pigmentation genes, hormones and UVR. When there is an imbalance between the individual’s genes and hormones, the production of melanin in the body can be partly disturbed or wholly disturbed. When this happens it results in an individual having little or no pigmentation in their hair, skin and eyes. This is called albinism. The main function of melanin is to protect the skin. Melanism: Melanism refers to the deposition of melanin in the tissues of living animals. The absence of the amino acid tyrosine results in albinism or lack of pigmentation. Melanism can also occur pathologically, as in a malignant melanoma, a cancerous tumour composed of melanin-pigment cells. The advantages of melanic pigmentation: - It is a barrier against the effects of the ultraviolet rays of sunlight. For example the human epidermis undergoes gradual tanning as a result of an increase in melanin. - It is a mechanism for the absorption of heat from sunlight, a function that is especially important for cold blooded animals. - It affords concealment to certain animals that become active in twilight. - It limits the incidence of beams of light entering the eye and absorbs scattered light within the eyeball, allowing greater visual acuity. - It provides resistance to abrasion because of the molecular structure of the

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