melanin

mel·a·nin

M0203600 (mĕl′ə-nĭn)n. Any of a group of naturally occurring dark pigments, especially the pigment found in skin, hair, fur, and feathers.

melanin

(ˈmɛlənɪn) n (Biology) any of a group of black or dark brown pigments present in the hair, skin, and eyes of man and animals: produced in excess in certain skin diseases and in melanomas

mel•a•nin

(ˈmɛl ə nɪn)

n. any of a class of insoluble pigments that are found in all forms of animal life and account for the dark color of skin, hair, fur, scales, and feathers. [1835–45; < Greek melan-, s. of mélās black + -in¹] mel′a•nin•like`, adj.

mel·a·nin

(mĕl′ə-nĭn) A dark pigment found in the skin, hair, scales, feathers, and eyes of animals. It provides protection against the sun's rays by absorbing ultraviolet light.

melanin

A dark pigment occurring in skin and hair.

Thesaurus

Noun

melanin - insoluble pigments that account for the color of e.g. skin and scales and feathersfeather, plumage, plume - the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birdscutis, skin, tegument - a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch; "your skin is the largest organ of your body"animal pigment - pigment occurring in animals

Translations

melaninamelanina

melanin

(mĕl`ənĭn), water-insoluble polymer of various compounds derived from the amino acid tyrosinetyrosine
, organic compound, one of the 20 amino acids commonly found in animal proteins. Only the l-stereoisomer appears in mammalian protein.
..... Click the link for more information. . It is one of two pigments found in human skin and hair and adds brown to skin color; the other pigment is carotenecarotene
, long-chained, unsaturated hydrocarbon found as a pigment in many higher plants, particularly carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy vegetables. Carotene is thought to assist in trapping light energy for photosynthesis or to aid in chemical reduction.
..... Click the link for more information. , which contributes yellow coloring. The synthesis of melanin reactions is catalyzed by the enzyme tyrosinase; an inherited lack of tyrosinase activity results in one of the forms of albinism. Tyrosinase is found in only one specialized type of cell, the melanocyte, and in this cell melanin is found in membrane-bound bodies called melanosomes. Melanosomes can be transferred from their site of synthesis in the melanocytes to other cell types. The various hues and degrees of pigmentation found in the skin of human beings are directly related to the number, size, and distribution of melanosomes within the melanocytes and other cells. Besides it role in pigmentation, melanin, which absorbs ultraviolet light, plays a protective role when skin is exposed to the damaging rays of the sun (see sunburnsunburn,
inflammation of the skin caused by actinic rays from the sun or artificial sources. Moderate exposure to ultraviolet radiation is followed by a red blush, but severe exposure may result in blisters, pain, and constitutional symptoms.
..... Click the link for more information. ; skin cancerskin cancer,
malignant tumor of the skin. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Rarer forms include mycosis fungoides (a type of lymphoma) and Kaposi's sarcoma.
..... Click the link for more information. ).

melanin

[′mel·ə·nən] (biochemistry) Any of a group of brown or black pigments occurring in plants and animals.

melanin

any of a group of black or dark brown pigments present in the hair, skin, and eyes of man and animals: produced in excess in certain skin diseases and in melanomas

melanin

enUK

melanin

[mel´ah-nin] any of several closely related dark, sulfur-containing pigments normally found in the hair, skin, ciliary body, choroid of the eye, pigment layer of the retina, and certain nerve cells. They occur abnormally in the tumors known as melanomas and may be excreted in the urine when such tumors are present (melanuria).

mel·a·nin

(mel'ă-nin), Any of the dark brown to black polymers of indole-5,6-quinone and/or 5,6-dihydroxyindole 2-carboxylic acid that normally occur in the skin, hair, pigmented coat of the retina, and inconstantly in the medulla and zona reticularis of the adrenal gland. Melanin may be formed in vitro or biologically by oxidation of l-tyrosine or l-tryptophan, the usual mechanism being the enzymatic oxidation of l-tyrosine to 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine (dopa) and dopaquinone by monophenol monooxygenase, and the further oxidation (probably spontaneous) of this intermediate to melanin. Compare: eumelanin, pheomelanin. Synonym(s): melanotic pigment [G. melas (melan-), black]

melanin

(mĕl′ə-nĭn)n. Any of a group of naturally occurring dark pigments, especially the pigment found in skin, hair, fur, and feathers.

melanin

A dark natural pigment found in the epidermis or skin adnexal structures. It is a complex polymer of oxidised tyrosine synthesised from DOPA and dopaquinone in response to actinic stimulation and bound to a carrier protein by melanocytes—in the skin, mucous membrane, pia arachnoid, retina, inner ear and mesentery. Melanin is detected in tissue sections by the Fontana-Masson stain.

melanin

Physiology A dark natural body pigment found in the epidermis or skin adnexal structures. See Albinism, DOPA, Melanoma.

mel·a·nin

(mel'ă-nin) Any of the dark brown to black pigments that occur in the skin, hair, pigmented coat of the retina, and medulla and zona reticularis of the suprarenal gland. [G. melas (melan-), black]

melanin

The body's natural colouring (pigment) found in the skin, hair, eyes, inner ears and other parts. In body cells, melanin is bound to protein. It is a complex POLYMER formed from the amino acid TYROSINE (4-hydroxphenylalanine) by oxidation via dopa and dopaquinone.

melanin

a dark brown or black pigment found in skin or hair and in the iris and choroid layer of the EYE. Melanin is found in special cells called MELANOPHORES. See ALBINISM, DOPA.

Melanin

A dark insoluble pigment found in humans in the skin, hair, choroid layer of the eye, and a part of the brain called the substantia nigra.Mentioned in: Albinism, Moles, Skin Pigmentation Disorders

melanin

Dark brown to black pigment normally present in the skin, the hair, the choroid, the iris, the retina, the ciliary body, the cardiac tissue, the pia mater and the substantia nigra of the brain. It is absent in albinos. See albinism; fuscin; melanocyte; melanosis; choroidal naevus; retinal pigment epithelium.

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Words related to melanin

noun insoluble pigments that account for the color of e

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