Chapter 5 Structural Basis of Skin Color

Melanin

causes skin color to vary from yellow, pale, reddish, brown or black

light skinned individuals

____ ___ individuals have small amounts of melanin in the epidermis. The epidermis appears translucent and skin color changes from pink to red depending on oxygen content in the blood moving through the capillaries in the dermis.

dark skinned individuals

_____ _____ individuals have LG amounts of melanin in the epidermis so their skin ranges from yellow to redlish brown to black

tan

_____ is lost when melanin containing keratinocytes are shed from the stratum corneum.

nevus

a round, flat, or raised area that represents a benign localized overgrowth of melanocytes developed in adolescence or childhood.

melanosome

an organelle where melanocytes synthesize melanin from amino acids in the presents of an enzyme called tyrosine . Protects DNA, if DNA gets damaged melanin production increases.

eumelanin

brown to black apparent in hair

skin color

differences in ____ color have to do with the amount of pigment the melanocytes produce and transfer keratinocytes.

3 pigments that gives the skin color

melanin, hemoglobin, carotene

pallor

paleness of the skin. might occur with people with anemia or shock.

erythema

redness of the skin caused by capillaries in the dermis with blood due to an injury, exposure to heat, infection, inflammination or allergic reactions

Hemoglobin

the red color is due to ____

cyanotic

when skin color and nail beds become a bluish color due to inadequate blood supply and not enough oxygen from the lungs

carotene

yellow / orange pigment in red blood cells. used to synthesize pigments needed for vision, stored in the stratum corner and fatty areas in the dermis and subcutaneous layer in response to excessive dietary intake.

jaundice

yellow appearance due to a buildup in yellow pigment . condition gives you yellowish skin, and the whites of eyes usually indicating liver disease.

pheomelanin

yellow to red apparent in hair