Melanocyte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Melanocyte |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Melanocyte and melanin. | |
| Latin | melanocytus |
| MeSH | Melanocytes |
| Code | TH H2.00.03.0.01016 |
Melanocytes are melanin-producing cells. They are most obvious in the skin, hair and eyes. They are in the bottom layer of the skin's epidermis, in hairs, and in the iris of the eye, and some places inside the body.
Melanin is the pigment mostly responsible for skin and hair colour. It protects the skin against damage by UV radiation from the Sun. UV radiation causes damage to cell DNA, which makes skin cancer more likely.
Melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSH) from the pituitary gland causes melanocytes to produce more melanin. They stimulate the production and release of melanin by melanocytes in skin and hair.
Images for kids
-
Micrograph of melanocytes in the epidermis
See also
In Spanish: Melanocito para niños
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Melanocyte Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.