Melanin News and Research

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In humans, melanin is the primary determinant of skin color. It is also found in hair, the pigmented tissue underlying the iris of the eye, and the stria vascularis of the inner ear. In the brain, tissues with melanin include the medulla and zona reticularis of the adrenal gland, and pigment-bearing neurons within areas of the brainstem, such as the locus coeruleus and the substantia nigr

Parkinson's linked to higher levels of pheomelanin in brain: Could it be a biomarker or treatment target?

Researchers discover that the substantia nigra of individuals with Parkinson’s disease had a higher concentration of pheomelanin.

6 Apr 2023

Plastic waste's 'plastisphere' could harbor and spread eukaryotic pathogens

A recent study reviews the potential for helminth, fungal, and protozoan pathogens to associate with plastisphere.

3 Apr 2023

Cherenkov color imaging holds potential to make radiation therapy safer and more effective

Cherenkov imaging is a valuable cancer treatment tool that can help doctors track and monitor radiation doses received by tissues during cancer therapy in real time.

14 Mar 2023

Metastatic Melanoma: key protein identified that aids the spread of skin cancer

In this interview, News-Medical spoke to Dr. Jeremy Carlton and Professor Victoria Sanz-Moreno about their latest research into the spread of skin cancer.

20 Jan 2023

Researchers discover the Nrf3-mediated mechanism of melanogenesis

The skin is presumably the largest and one of the most versatile body organs. By providing a physical barrier, it protects our body from environmental assaults.

11 Jan 2023

New device could help address racial disparities in hemoglobin and blood oxygen measurements

A team led by a University of Texas at Arlington bioengineering professor and an Austin businessman has published key findings in the British Medical Journal Innovations that illustrate how a new device measures hemoglobin more accurately in individuals with darker skin pigmentations.

28 Oct 2022

Researchers successfully generate fully mature hair follicles in cultures

A team of researchers from Japan studying the processes of hair follicle growth and hair pigmentation has successfully generated hair follicles in cultures.

21 Oct 2022

Sensory nerve cells in human skin play an important role in pigmentation

Our skin forms the physical boundary between us and the outside world, yet it still holds a surprising number of secrets.

20 Sep 2022

NRL fungal experiment to launch as part of NASA's scheduled Artemis I mission

An experiment prepared by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) will launch as part of NASA's scheduled Artemis I mission to orbit the moon Aug. 29.

26 Aug 2022

Study evaluates the tumor-modulatory effects of opsins on melanoma cancer

Melanopsin (OPN4) is a light-sensing protein found in skin and retina cells. A new study conducted at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil suggests that OPN4 can also participate in the development and progression of melanoma, the most aggressive type of skin cancer.

10 Aug 2022

Skin cancer is a risk no matter the skin tone. But it may be overlooked in people with dark skin.

Brykyta Shelton found herself standing in a checkout line of a big-box retailer, uncomfortably aware as a woman ahead of her stared at her sandaled feet.

5 Aug 2022

Pulse oximeter inaccuracies may be associated with racial disparities in care

For most patients, a pulse oximeter is a familiar device from visits to the doctor's office. Placed on a finger or a patient's ear lobe, pulse oximeters are an easy way to quickly get a measure of someone's oxygen saturation (SpO2), which should generally be above 90 percent.

11 Jul 2022