Scientists use tyrosine nanomedicine to halt melanoma growth
An international research team used a common amino acid, tyrosine, packaged as a nanomedicine, to change the metabolism of melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, and prevent cancer growth.
An international research team used a common amino acid, tyrosine, packaged as a nanomedicine, to change the metabolism of melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, and prevent cancer growth.
Bio & Medicine
Jun 18, 2024
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Even though exoplanet science has advanced significantly in the last decade or two, we're still in an unfortunate situation. Scientists can only make educated guesses about which exoplanets may be habitable. Even the closest ...
Astrobiology
Mar 18, 2024
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More than 20% of the filets of Atlantic salmon may have unattractive black and red spots, which are often >1 cm and create substantial financial losses. The spots are far more abundant in reared than in wild salmon, and their ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jan 8, 2024
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The research team of Seon-ki Hong, Professor at the Department of Physics and Chemistry of Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), has developed the Progressive Assembly on an Initiator-loaded Template ...
Biochemistry
Oct 31, 2023
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A small team of team of biologists affiliated with several institutions in Argentina has found an instance of melanism in a wild gentoo penguin living in Antarctica. In their paper published in the journal Polar Biology, ...
Melanin is produced within special structures called melanosomes. Melanosomes are found inside melanin-producing pigment cells called melanocytes. Although all humans have the same number of melanocytes, the amount of melanin ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 13, 2023
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121
Hair styling can be a potent form of self-expression, whether it features dramatic updos, intricate braids or crazy colors. Beyond being a reflection of our personality, these strands contain compounds that could one day ...
Biochemistry
Apr 27, 2023
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After nearly a century of scientific inquiry, scientists have at last been able to characterize a key component in the substance responsible for giving countless living organisms their color.
Biochemistry
Apr 11, 2023
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Photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted considerable attention for the treatment of tumors because it is minimally invasive and has spatiotemporal selectivity.
Bio & Medicine
Jan 13, 2023
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67
The skin is presumably the largest and one of the most versatile body organs. By providing a physical barrier, it protects our body from environmental assaults. Melanin—a natural pigment produced by specialized skin cells ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 10, 2023
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Melanin i/ˈmɛlənɪn/ (Greek: μέλας, black) is a pigment that is ubiquitous in nature, being found in most organisms (spiders are one of the few groups in which it has not been detected). In animals melanin pigments are derivatives of the amino acid tyrosine. The most common form of biological melanin is eumelanin, a brown-black polymer of dihydroxyindole carboxylic acids, and their reduced forms. All melanins can be considered as derivatives of polyacetylene, since they rely on a polyconiugate structure. Another common form of melanin is pheomelanin, a red-brown polymer of benzothiazine units largely responsible for red hair and freckles. The presence of melanin in the archaea and bacteria kingdoms is an issue of ongoing debate among researchers in the field.
The increased production of melanin in human skin is called melanogenesis. Production of melanin is stimulated by DNA damage induced by UVB-radiation, and it leads to a delayed development of a tan. This melanogenesis-based tan takes more time to develop, but it is long-lasting.
The photochemical properties of melanin make it an excellent photoprotectant. It absorbs harmful UV-radiation (ultraviolet) and transforms the energy into harmless heat through a process called "ultrafast internal conversion". This property enables melanin to dissipate more than 99.9% of the absorbed UV radiation as heat (see photoprotection). This prevents the indirect DNA damage that is responsible for the formation of malignant melanoma and other skin cancers.
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