Linked Life Data

11936268

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/11936268

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
2002-4-8
pubmed:abstractText
We have examined the quantity and composition of melanin in both photoprotected (volar upper arm) and chronically photoexposed (dorsal forearm) skin from a range of different ethnic skin types including African, Indian, Mexican, Chinese and European. The most lightly pigmented (European, Chinese and Mexican) skin types have approximately half as much epidermal melanin as the most darkly pigmented (African and Indian) skin types. However, the composition of melanin in these lighter skin types is comparatively more enriched with lightly coloured, alkali-soluble melanin components (up to three-fold). Regardless of ethnicity, epidermal melanin content is significantly greater in chronically photoexposed skin than it is in corresponding photoprotected skin (up to two-fold). However, by comparison there is only a modest enrichment of lightly coloured, alkali soluble melanin components in photoprotected skin (up to 1.3-fold). Analysis of melanosomes extracted from the epidermis in these subjects indicates that the proportion of spheroidal melanosomes is low in all skin types examined (<10%). This suggests that in human skin, pheomelanin is a very minor component of epidermal melanin, even in the lightest (European) skin types. Analysis of melanosome size revealed a significant and progressive variation in size with ethnicity: African skin having the largest melanosomes followed in turn by Indian, Mexican, Chinese and European. On the basis of these findings, we propose that variation in skin pigmentation is strongly influenced by both the amount and the composition (or colour) of the melanin in the epidermis. Variation in melanosome size may also play a significant role. However, the data also suggest that in human skin there are subtle differences in the mechanisms associated with the maintenance of constitutive pigmentation and facultative hyperpigmentation, respectively.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
0893-5785
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
15
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
112-8
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2002
pubmed:articleTitle
Ethnic variation in melanin content and composition in photoexposed and photoprotected human skin.
pubmed:affiliation
Unilever Research, Colworth Laboratory, Sharnbrook, Bedford, UK. simon.alaluf@unilever.com
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article