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Direct Pigmentation — A Suggested Mechanism
Author(s) -
Findlay G. H.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/ijd.1963.2.2.87
Subject(s) - photobiology , melanin , medicine , mechanism (biology) , oxidative phosphorylation , ultraviolet radiation , dermatology , physiology , biology , biochemistry , chemistry , epistemology , philosophy , botany , radiochemistry
Summary A theory is proposed to explain the physiology of direct pigmentation. It is presumed that melanin color depends on other oxidative activities in epidermal cells, and that these activities must be inhibited to permit photo–oxidative darkening of melanin. It is suggested that long–wave ultraviolet rays which cause direct pigmentation bring about this inhibition as the primary change. The author acknowledges support from the Photobiology Research Group of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.