Functions of Epidermal Melanin- Possible Evolutionary Significance of Heavy Metal Chelation

Patrick A Riley
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Patrick A Riley: Totteridge Institute for Advanced Studies, UK

Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, 2023, vol. 51, issue 4, 42951-42953

Abstract: A topic that has attracted a great deal of attention in relation to human evolution is the pigmentation of the skin. In comparison to closely related species humans are relatively hairless but there are notable racial differences in the degree of epidermal melanisation. Viewed from the aspect of evolutionary selectivity the significance of the epidermal melanisation in man, it is suggested that one possible factor may be that the transcutaneous desquamation of melanin may have furnished a mechanism for excretion of metals, with particular reference to toxic heavy metals which are strongly bound to the pigment.

Keywords: Journals on Medical Drug and Therapeutics; Journals on Emergency Medicine; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Journals on Infectious Diseases Addiction Science and Clinical Pathology; Open Access Clinical and Medical Journal; Journals on Biomedical Science; List of Open Access Medical Journal; Journals on Biomedical Engineering; Open Access Medical Journal; Biomedical Science Articles; Journal of Scientific and Technical Research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:abf:journl:v:51:y:2023:i:4:p:42951-42953

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2023.51.008142

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