melanin

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mel·a·nin

 (mĕl′ə-nĭn)
n.
Any of a group of naturally occurring dark pigments, especially the pigment found in skin, hair, fur, and feathers.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

melanin

(ˈmɛlənɪn)
n
(Biology) any of a group of black or dark brown pigments present in the hair, skin, and eyes of man and animals: produced in excess in certain skin diseases and in melanomas
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mel•a•nin

(ˈmɛl ə nɪn)

n.
any of a class of insoluble pigments that are found in all forms of animal life and account for the dark color of skin, hair, fur, scales, and feathers.
[1835–45; < Greek melan-, s. of mélās black + -in1]
mel′a•nin•like`, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

mel·a·nin

(mĕl′ə-nĭn)
A dark pigment found in the skin, hair, scales, feathers, and eyes of animals. It provides protection against the sun's rays by absorbing ultraviolet light.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

melanin

A dark pigment occurring in skin and hair.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.melanin - insoluble pigments that account for the color of e.g. skin and scales and feathersmelanin - insoluble pigments that account for the color of e.g. skin and scales and feathers
feather, plumage, plume - the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
cutis, skin, tegument - a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch; "your skin is the largest organ of your body"
animal pigment - pigment occurring in animals
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
melaniini

melanin

[ˈmelənɪn] Nmelanina f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

melanin

[ˈmɛlənɪn] nmélanine f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

mel·a·nin

n. melanina, pigmento oscuro de la piel, el pelo y partes del ojo.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

melanin

n melanina
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in periodicals archive ?
Two types of pigments are responsible for the pumage coloration: melanins, which produce a range of black, grey, brown, and orange colors, and carotenoids, which are used by specialized feather structures to generate brighter color hues.
To minimize the potential harm of future ingestible devices, Bettinger's team at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) decided to turn to melanins and other naturally occurring compounds.
However, recent work has shed light on the fact that melanins can be significant indicators of health and vigor in insects (Dolenska et al., 2009; Blount et al., 2012).
Melanocytes that lie at the junction of the dermis and epidermis of the skin play a central role in skin pigmentation by producing melanins which are transferred to neighboring keratinocytes (Hirobe, 2011).
Melanins and melanosomes; biosynthesis, biogenesis, physiological, and pathological functions
One of the major problems in studying melanins is the lack of adequate methods for the isolation of pure melanin pigments.
After melanins were extracted, the mixed melanins in different hair colors appeared and looked different (Figure 2).
And while the shape of the granules is evidence of black pigment, yellow and red melanins also exist--such as in the freckles of fair-skinned humans.
Melanins are most noticeable in humans as dark moles, in black dermal pigment cells and as brown spots in the epidermis.
It is composed of 65-95% protein, 1-9% lipids, 0.1-5% pigments (melanins), and small amounts of trace elements, polysaccharides, and water.
Topically applied dihydroxyacetone and melanins have been shown to provide some photoprotection.
Krol tested the melanins' ability to oxidize lipid molecules.