The Biology of Skin Color

Cancer

Unregulated cell division is known as this.

UV B

The form of Ultra Violet radiation that humans need to synthesize Vitamin D.

Albinism

A conditions that affects pigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes

OCA3 Albinism

A form of albinism that produces small amounts of Eumelanin in people of African descent

OCA1 Albinism

A form of albinism where no melanin is produced due to a mutation in the gene that converts Tyrosine into Melanin.

Melanoma

A form of skin cancer that affects lighter skinned people more often than darker skinned people.

Vitamin D

A vitamin that helps humans absorb calcium for bone development.

Folate

An essential vitamin needed during pregnancy and for sperm production in males.

Increases

As you are exposed to higher amounts of UV radiation, melanin production __________________.

Decreases

As you move north from the equator, UV radiation_________________________________.

Elevation

Besides latitude, another factor that can influence an individuals skin tone.

Higher UV light the lower Folate

Describe relationship between Folate and UV radiation

Camouflage and temperature regulation

Functions of melanin in animals

UV A

The form of Ultra Violet radiation that penetrates into cells and causes skin cancer.

Advantage of lighter skin

Higher Vitamin D

Advantage of darker skin

Less incidence of Melanoma

North and South Poles

Location of people who have the lightest pigmentation of their skin.

Eumelanin

The brown black pigment found in high concentration in the skin of dark individuals.

Equator

The location planet Earth where individuals have been selected to have high amounts of Eumelanin and low Pheomelanin.

Nucleus

The location that melanin "covers" inside a cell in order to protect the DNA from UV radiation.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms with an adaptive advantage survive and pass on their genes to the next generation.

Pheomelanin

The yellowish red pigment found in high concentration in light skinned individuals.

Melanocytes

These cells produce Melanin and are found in higher concentrations in individuals with darker skin.

Melanin

a protein produced in the outer layer of skin that protects DNA in the cell's nucleus from UV light

Mutation

change in DNA