Premium
VITILIGO: THE LOSS OF PIGMENT IN SKIN, HAIR AND EYES
Author(s) -
Lerner Aaron B.,
Nordlund James J.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1346-8138.1978.tb01041.x
Subject(s) - vitiligo , dermatology , medicine , citation , haven , art history , art , ophthalmology , library science , computer science , mathematics , combinatorics
It is easy to list important problems to study in the field of pigmentation. Among them the following four problems stand out: 1. To explain the wide differences in color of human beings-albino, fair, olive, dark and black. What advantage does melanin provide to the host that permits such a widespread, complicated cellular enzyme system as the tyrosine-dopa-tyrosinase one to evolve and persist in nature? 2. To account for the hyperpigmentation that occurs in patients with changes in the endocrine system such as adrenal insufficiency, hyperthyroidism, pregnancy and ingestion of anovulatory agents. 3. To understand the mechanism of pigment loss in patients with vitiligo. 4. To determine the mechanism by which different factors lead to the development of melanomas and to find a satisfactory way to treat patients with melanomas. It is not surprising to find that all of these subjects are related to one another. For example, people with light skin and blue eyes are at greater risk to develop a melanoma than are those with dark skin and dark eyes. A partial explanation for this difference involves the role played by ultraviolet light in bringing