The “follicular-melanin unit” is residing in the “immune privileged” proximal hair bulb [3]. This follicular-melanin unit consists of one melanocyte for every five keratinocytes in the hair bulb as a whole; the ratio is 1:1 in the basal epithelial layer next to the dermal papilla [4]. Hair bulb melanogenic melanocytes differ from epidermal melanocytes in being larger, with longer and more exten...

Melanocytes are specialized cells that generate unique organelles called melanosomes in which melanin is synthesized and stored. Melanosome biogenesis and melanocyte pigmentation require the transport and delivery of melanin synthesizing enzymes, such as tyrosinase and related proteins (e.g., TYRP1), from endosomes to maturing melanosomes. Among the proteins controlling endosome-melanosome tran...

Gingival melanin pigmentation occurs in all races in variable amount caused by melanin granules. The degree of pigmentation varies from person to person. Excessive gingival pigmentation may be a major esthetic concern for many patients. Methods of deepithelialization of the pigmented or discolored areas of gingiva using different methods such as scalpel method, bur method or laser method are we...

The Yesso scallop Patinopecten yessoensis is an economically important marine bivalve species in aquaculture and fishery in Asian countries. However, limited genomic resources are available for this scallop, which hampers investigations into molecular mechanisms underlying their unique biological characteristics, such as shell formation and pigmentation. Mantle is the special tissue of P. yesso...

Melanin formation and assembly by fungi has largely been investigated mainly for its importance in pathogenesis, as well as to establish the functions and biosynthetic pathways of melanin formed during the process of successional wood decay. It is known that melanin formation varies based on fungal species, especially melanin produced by ascomycetes versus basidiomycetes, and that the mechanism...

The aim of this clinical article is to review the methods of depigmentation of melanin pigmentation of gingiva and explain scalpel surgical technique for depigmentation of gingiva.

The pigmentation of many Aeromonas species has been thought to be due to the production of a L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) based melanin. However, in this study we found that although L-DOPA synthesis occurs in the high-melanin-yielding Aeromonas media strain WS, it plays a minor, if any, role in pigmentation. Instead, the pigmentation of A. media strain WS is due to the production of p...