Question

Which of the following best defines the term melanin?

A. Black pigment found in the skin, hair, and retina.
B. Infection alongside the nail.
C. Deficient in oxygen.
D. The burnt, dead tissue lying on top of third-degree burns.
E. Partial or complete loss of hair.

Answer 1

Melanin is the pigment that determines the color of human skin. It protects DNA from UV damage but can interfere with vitamin D production.

Step-by-step explanation:

Melanin is the pigment that determines the color of human skin. It occurs in two primary forms, eumelanin (black and brown) and pheomelanin (red). Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale skin. Melanin is produced by melanocytes in the skin and is transferred to keratinocytes via melanosomes. It protects the DNA of epidermal cells from UV ray damage and folic acid breakdown, but too much melanin can interfere with vitamin D production.