More than just a pigment: What is melanin?

Melanin is a natural pigment found in most living organisms – it colors eyes, hair and skin – and even in squid ink. This natural pigment is produced by specialized cells called melanocytes found in the skin, hair or eyes.

There are three types of melanin:

– Eumelaninwhich is responsible for brown and black shades of hair, skin and eyes.

– Pheomelaninwhich produces red or yellow hues – more common in people with red hair or lighter skin.

– Neuromelaninwhich is located in the brain and develops as a result of the oxidation of dopamine (a feel-good chemical) and norepinephrine (fight or flight hormone)

Melanin also acts as a biological shield, absorbing harmful UV rays and thereby protecting the skin from potential skin cancers such as melanoma and various carcinomas (cancer that starts in the tissue that lines the inside or outside of the body).

Melanin is also beneficial to some animals. This helps them blend in with their surroundings through camouflage. This ability is very important for both the predator and the prey. It also aids in thermoregulation by controlling heat loss and production through mechanisms such as sweating.

Melanin does not work the same way for everyone. This causes some very rare skin conditions – such as vitiligo, which causes patches on the skin; albinism, a genetic mutation that prevents the production of melanin, resulting in pale skin, hair, and eyes; and hyperpigmentation, where excess melanin causes darker spots, often due to exposure to the sun or hormones.

Your genetics determine how much and what type of melanin your body produces. Dark skin tones have much more eumelanin, which provides better protection against the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Lighter colors, on the other hand, allow you to protect vitamin D.

But our ancestors didn’t have all these different skin tones. how is it Well, everything is in the hands of the Sun. About 50,000 years ago, our ancestors lived near the equator, the hottest part of the world and therefore where the sun’s rays are rich in ultraviolet. Sunscreens did not exist then. So the melanin acted as its own sunscreen.

Over time, some people migrated to places with less sunlight, such as Europe and Asia, and eventually lighter skin tones appeared. This allowed their bodies to better absorb vitamin D, thereby strengthening bones and improving immunity.

As a result of this migration and subsequent adaptability, the world is a color palette of different skin tones.

In general, melanin tells the story of how our ancestors survived. And while it may indicate your background, it doesn’t indicate a person’s character.