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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Jul 20.
Published in final edited form as: Exp Dermatol. 2014 Nov 18;24(3):171–174. doi: 10.1111/exd.12559

Figure 2. UV/ROS induces aberrant pheomelanosome and eumelanosome structural changes and leads to melanoma transformation/progression.

Figure 2

Pre-melanosomes mature and differentiate into eumelanin-contained eumelanosomes and pheomelanin-contained pheomelanosomes, both of which can undergo aberrant structural changes in the presence of UV or ROS, leading to leaking of melanosomal contents (melanins, melanin synthesis intermediates, amyloids, etc) which can further react with ROS and become more toxic. Eumelanosomes may generate more amyloids and less ROS as compared to pheomelanosomes.