Melanin biopolymer

Melanin biopolymers are a diverse family of natural pigments present in many organisms (including mammals, birds, fungi, bacteria, and plants), best known for determining skin, hair, and eye color in humans and for their cytoprotective properties. There are several classes of melanin, notably eumelanin (brown-black), pheomelanin (yellow-red), neuromelanin (in the brain), allomelanin, and pyomelanin, each with distinct chemical structures and biological distribution. Melanin is synthesized via the oxidation and polymerization of tyrosine and other substrates, with considerable structural and chemical heterogeneity. Its major roles include absorption and dissipation of UV radiation, antioxidant defense, metal ion binding, and protection from environmental stress. Melanin can bind certain drugs, affecting their distribution and potentially leading to higher drug accumulation and side effects in pigmented tissues but does not function as a classical pharmacological target[1][2][5][6].

Other names

melaninmelaninseumelaninpheomelaninneuromelaninallomelaninpyomelanin