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NEURONAL PIGMENTS: SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN BRAIN MELANIN
Author(s) -
Das K. C.,
Abramson M. B.,
Katzman R.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1978.tb07814.x
Subject(s) - melanin , substantia nigra , sodium borohydride , dopamine , neuromelanin , pigment , chemistry , norepinephrine , human brain , midbrain , substrate (aquarium) , biochemistry , dopaminergic , neuroscience , organic chemistry , biology , central nervous system , ecology , catalysis
— A method has been established for the characterization of synthetic melanins obtained from dopamine, norepinephrine, and structurally related compounds which permits the identification of the precursor substrate of the melanin. This is done by interpreting the absorption spectra and the first derivative curves of these melanins solubilized in sodium borohydride. Using this method, the melanin pigment obtained from the substantia nigra of human brain has been shown to be very similar to dopamine‐melanin and not DOPA‐ or norepinephrine‐melanins.