Definition of melanocyte
: an epidermal cell that produces melanin
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When these melanocytes go into overdrive and produce too much color, the dark spots can occur.
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Melanoma is a cancer that originates in melanocytes, the cells that produce the skin-color pigment melanin.
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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.
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General vitiligo is believed to be an autoimmune condition, which means the immune system mistakenly attacks pigment-producing cells (melanocytes).
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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.
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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).
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The spot stars Amy Deanna, a black model with Vitiligo, a condition that causes skin to lose pigment cells (AKA melanocytes).
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Researchers suspected a specific gene called Hgma2 was responsible for triggering the tanning response in melanocyte stem cells.
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about melanocyte
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