melanocyte
Melanin-producing skin cell
A melanocyte is a cell that produces melanin, the pigment responsible for skin, hair, and eye color.
Melanocytes are found in the basal layer of the epidermis and in hair follicles.
When exposed to ultraviolet light, they increase melanin production, causing tanning.
Abnormal melanocyte growth can lead to melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
Surface hue arrangement
- pigmentColor-imparting material
- eumelaninBrown-black biological pigment
- albinismInherited melanin deficiency
- vitiligoMelanocyte-loss skin condition
hyperpigmentation · melasma · tanning · skin color · hair color · eye color · depigmentation · chromophore
Gel surrounding the nucleus
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- dendriteNeuron's input branch
- organelleSubcellular functional unit
- membraneThin tissue sheet
mitochondria · eumelanin · endoplasmic reticulum · receptor · signaling · differentiation · proliferation · apoptosis
Outermost tissue layer
- dermisLiving tissue under epidermis
- hair follicleDermal pit producing strands
- nevusPigmented dermal lesion
- moleSubterranean insectivore
freckle · complexion · skin tone · dermatology · biopsy · sebaceous · follicular · scalp
Wavelengths shorter than violet
- UV radiationInvisible high-energy light waves
- sunlightRadiance from our star
- DNA damageInjury to genetic material
- free radicalUnstable, electron-seeking particle
UVA · UVB · sun exposure · photodamage · sunburn · DNA repair · antioxidant
Pigmented dermal lesion
- metastasisCancer spreading beyond origin
- oncologyCancer medicine specialty
- carcinomaEpithelial malignant tumor
- tumorAbnormal tissue mass
malignant · benign · dysplastic · mutation · genetics · immunotherapy · biopsy · lesion
coloration
Surface hue arrangement
- pigmentColor-imparting material
- eumelaninBrown-black biological pigment
- albinismInherited melanin deficiency
vitiligo · hyperpigmentation · melasma · tanning · skin color · hair color · eye color · depigmentation · chromophore · complexion
cytoplasm
Gel surrounding the nucleus
membrane · mitochondria · eumelanin · endoplasmic reticulum · receptor · signaling · differentiation · proliferation · apoptosis · stem cell
epidermis
Outermost tissue layer
- dermisLiving tissue under epidermis
- hair follicleDermal pit producing strands
- nevusPigmented dermal lesion
mole · freckle · complexion · skin tone · dermatology · biopsy · sebaceous · follicular · scalp · iris
ultraviolet
Wavelengths shorter than violet
- UV radiationInvisible high-energy light waves
- sunlightRadiance from our star
- DNA damageInjury to genetic material
free radical · UVA · UVB · sun exposure · photodamage · sunburn · DNA repair · antioxidant
nevus
Pigmented dermal lesion
- metastasisCancer spreading beyond origin
- oncologyCancer medicine specialty
- carcinomaEpithelial malignant tumor
tumor · malignant · benign · dysplastic · mutation · genetics · immunotherapy · biopsy · lesion · atypical
- cellscells, blood cell, cell theory, nerve cell, red blood cell
- skin anatomydermis, epidermis, hypodermis, subcutis, cutis
- pigment cellschromatophores
- skin cellsLangerhans cells
- skin pigmentationpigmentation, freckle, mole, birthmark, nevus
- histologyhistology, tissue, cells, microscope slides, tissue sections