ANT 131 Study Guide - Final Guide: Keratin, Spina Bifida, Body Plan
Document Summary
Part one | biology (chapters 1 - 3 and 4 - 6) Melanin: collective term for large family of molecules that absorb broadly in the visible light spectrum. Repeatedly recruited in evolution due its success and value. Protective against many environmental toxins: found ubiquitously across many organisms fungi example: black fungi with lots of melanin growing in chernobyl (could lead to future cancer research) Melanocytes site of melanin production: located in the lowest epidermal level, establish connections with skin cells (keratinocytes) Melanosomes - small, membrane-bound packages where melanin is produced: transfer melanin to keratinocytes, regulate melanin production/replication. Eumelanin is the dominant pigment in humans (sunscreen) Makes polymers, ability to change physical configurations. Absorb a large range of wavelengths of sun radiation (uvr particularly) without breaking down! Block damage by absorbing uvr (natural sunscreen) prevents free-radical formation. Present in the eye, underneath the retina in the eye membrane neutralizes free radicals that do form, antioxidant.
