Melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color, is produced by melanocytes located in the basal layer of the epidermis. This is the outermost layer of your skin.
Understanding Melanin Production
- Melanocytes: Specialized cells called melanocytes are the melanin factories of the skin. These cells reside within the basal layer, the deepest layer of the epidermis.
- Epidermis: The epidermis is the outermost layer of your skin, acting as a protective barrier. The basal layer, its deepest part, is where new skin cells are constantly generated, including melanocytes.
- Melanin Transfer: After melanin is produced by melanocytes, it's transferred to surrounding keratinocytes (the primary cells of the epidermis) for distribution throughout the skin. This explains why we see the effects of melanin across the whole epidermis, not just in the basal layer itself.
The process of melanin production is crucial for protecting the skin from harmful UV radiation from the sun. Increased sun exposure stimulates melanocytes to produce more melanin, resulting in a tan.
Sources confirming this include:
- Cleveland Clinic: Their article on the epidermis states that the epidermis "produces new skin cells and contains…melanocytes which make melanin."1
- Mayo Clinic: Their image on skin layers and melanin clarifies that melanin is "produced in cells called melanocytes."2
- SEER Training: This source notes that "The basal cell layer contains cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce the skin coloring or pigment known as melanin…"3
- Merck Manual: This reputable medical source points out that melanin is produced "in the basal layer of the skin (epidermis)."4
- PubMed: A research article supports this by stating that "Melanin is synthesized by melanocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis."5
1https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21901-epidermis
2https://www.mayoclinic.org/skin-layers-and-melanin/img-20007151
3https://training.seer.cancer.gov/melanoma/anatomy/layers.html
4https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/skin-disorders/pigment-disorders/overview-of-skin-pigment
5https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29956303/
