Maritza A Middelkamp-Hup

Regulation and modulation of skin melanogenesis

Skin pigmentation is a very important visible and recognizable characteristic of human beings. Much research is performed in this area to increase our understanding of melanogenesis, a complex multistep process regulated at gene expression level and by post-translational mechanisms involving different enzymes and substrates. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current knowledge on the process of skin melanogenesis. First, we will discuss the melanosome, the organelle where melanogenesis takes place, and then focus on the process of melanogenesis itself, with a description of its most important pathways leading to skin pigmentation. Finally, two major melanogenesis modulators, UV radiation and oxidative stress, will be discussed.