melanocyte

noun

me·la·no·cyte | \mə-ˈla-nə-ˌsīt,

ˈme-lə-nō-\

Definition of melanocyte

: an epidermal cell that produces melanin

Examples of melanocyte in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The worst-case scenario occurs when a skin cell, like a melanocyte, mutates and becomes cancerous—but UV rays also cause free-radical damage in the skin, which can lead to premature aging, sun spots, and immune-system damage. — Brennan Kilbane, GQ, "This Magical New Pill Reduces Long-Term Sun Damage," 7 June 2018 Melanoma, which starts in those pigment-providing melanocytes, can be much more lethal. — Rochaun Meadows-fernandez, SELF, "Why Are Black People Less Likely to Get Melanoma But More Likely to Die From It?," 2 Feb. 2018 When these melanocytes go into overdrive and produce too much color, the dark spots can occur. — Susan Brickell, Health.com, "This Blogger Applies Sunscreen Like a Mustache to Prevent Melasma—Does That Really Work?," 9 Apr. 2018 Melanoma is a cancer that originates in melanocytes, the cells that produce the skin-color pigment melanin. — Scientific American, "How Cancer Can Become Therapy-Resistant," 7 Apr. 2018 According to the Mayo Clinic, vitiligo occurs when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) die or stop producing melanin — the pigment that gives your skin, hair and eyes color. — Melanie Dadourian, Fox News, "A woman with a blotchy skin disease finds the courage to go makeup-free after 30 years of 'wearing a mask'," 27 Mar. 2018 General vitiligo is believed to be an autoimmune condition, which means the immune system mistakenly attacks pigment-producing cells (melanocytes). — Serena Gordon, chicagotribune.com, "New treatment could be 'breakthrough' for vitiligo," 8 Feb. 2018 High temps — anything above 90 degrees — spur inflammation and free radicals (oxygen molecules that mess with normal cell function), kicking pigment-making melanocyte cells into overdrive. — Krista Bennett Demaio, Cosmopolitan, "9 Beauty Fails That Mess With Your Skin (and How to Fix Them)," 2 Jan. 2015 While everyone has a similar number of melanocytes, genetics determine how much of this pigment those cells actually make, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). — Rochaun Meadows-fernandez, SELF, "Why Are Black People Less Likely to Get Melanoma But More Likely to Die From It?," 2 Feb. 2018

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