296 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS JOURNAL ADVERTISING TAKES YOUR MESSAGE STRAIGHT TO THE CHEMISTS OF THE COSMETIC INDUSTRY For information address: Editorial Assistant Society of Cosmetic Chemists 2758 Pine Hill Drive Birmingham, Michigan 48008

J. soc. cos. CHEM. 15, 297-302 (1964) SOME ASPECTS OF MELANIN PIGMENTATION By T. B. FITZPATRICK, M.D.* Presented May 8, I963, Semi-dnnual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists Held in yoint Sponsorship with the American Medical /lssociaticn Committee on Cosmetics ABSTRACT The terms, melanogenesis and melanin pigmentation, are described and defined. The process of melanin pigmentation involves two dissimilar cells, which function as a single unit, the epidermal melanin unit. The activity of the epidermal melanin unit, i.e., synthesis of melanin and distribution of melanin granules, is described and illustrated with the aid of diagrams. INTRODUCTION Color is an invariable feature of all vertebrates. In lower ver- tebrates, it figures prominently in survival, the color patterns serving to attract or to conceal. Changes in color pattern are accomplished in fishes, amphibians and reptiles by rapid shifting of pigment particles within the finger-like dendritic processes of the dermal pigment cells. Changes in cutaneous pigment patterns in higher vertebrates and man are accomplished only slowly and apparently not by movement of pigment particles but by synthesis of pigment. Surface coloration in animals is not due to one pigment but to a variety of chemical structures (1): red (carotenoids, hemoglobin, ommochromes, naphtha- and anthraquinones, pterins) orange (carotenoids) yellow (melanin, carotenoids, xanthopterin, riboflavin) green (bilin and caro- tenoids, biliverdin, tetrapyrrole) blue (caroteniprotein, bilin) black and brown (melanin and ommochrome). In man all the color hues are the result of melanin, hemoglobin and to a minor extent carotenoids. Melanin, however, is largely responsible for the tinctorial differences that exist in the skin, hair and eyes of man. * Dept. of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston 14, Mass. 297