LABORATORY ASSIGNMENT 3

1. Explain why we become tanned after sitting in the sun.

- UV radiation exposure causes melanocytes to produce more melanin, which
results in tanned skin. As a defense mechanism, melanin is produced in
reaction to UV radiation to lessen DNA damage in the cell.

2. Why does hair turn gray?

- Varying amounts and varieties of melanin are what determine the color of
hair. Similar to how melanocytes produce and distribute melanin in the skin,
they also do so in the hair bulb. Age-related reductions in melanin levels can
result in fading and eventual bleaching of the hair color. As a result, grey hair
is a combination of white, faded, and unfaded strands.

3. Is a bald man hairless? Explain.

- A bald man does not mean he has no hair. In this instance, the bald guy still
retains hairs, but because of the lack of melanin, they are little and colorless.

4. A 40-year-old beachboy is complaining to you that his suntan made him

popular when he was young – but now his face is all wrinkled and he has
several darkly pigmented moles that are growing rapidly and are as big as
large coins. He shows you the moles and immediately you think “ABCD”.
What does that mean and why should he be concerned?
- ABCD is a general rule for skin cancer. Where A denotes asymmetry, B
denotes border, C denotes color and D denotes diameter. They describe the
physical state and development of any skin imperfection that could indicate
the start of malignancy. The abnormal multiplication of skin cells is another
name for it. So, this often appears on sun-exposed skin, but it can also do so
on mucous membranes.

5. A mother of a 13-month-old infant brings her child to the clinic because his
skin has turned orange. Why does the pediatrician inquire about the child’s
diet?
- Carotene, which is often found in carrots, is lipid-soluble and, after
consumption, builds up in the stratum corneum's lipids as well as in the
adipocytes of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Carotene is typically
ingested by people, especially mothers, who utilize it as a vitamin A
supplement for their children. Additionally, if a lot of carotenes is taken, the
skin may turn quite yellowish. The asking of the pediatrician regarding the
child's diet was thus primarily motivated by this.

References
Skin Cancer Foundation. (1997). The ABCD's of Skin Cancer. Retrieved from National Ag Safety Database:
https://nasdonline.org/1374/d001207/the-abcd-039-s-of-skin-cancer.html