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Related Concept Videos

Skin Cancer01:30

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when there is an abnormal growth of skin cells, usually triggered by damage to the DNA within the skin cells. It is primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to rise.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
Mutations01:35

Mutations

Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
Mutations01:39

Mutations

Overview
Pigmentation01:19

Pigmentation

The color of the skin is influenced by a number of pigments, including melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. Recall that melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes, which are found scattered throughout the stratum basale of the epidermis. The melanin is transferred to the keratinocytes via melanosomes.
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
Nucleotide Excision Repair01:38

Nucleotide Excision Repair

DNA Distortion and Damage
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
Nucleotide Excision Repair01:08

Nucleotide Excision Repair

Overview

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells
06:09

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells

Published on: June 7, 2019

Ultraviolet wavebands and melanoma initiation.

Dorothy C Bennett1

  • 1Division of Basic Medical Sciences, St George's, University of London, London, UK. dbennett@sgul.ac.uk

Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research
|September 30, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunbeds can cause DNA mutations and skin cancer. UVA is a mutagen and its recreational use should be avoided.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Genetics
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Concerns exist regarding the safety of ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-emitting sunbeds.
  • Research is needed to evaluate the risks associated with UVA and UVB exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the scientific evidence on the mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of UVA and UVB radiation on skin.
  • To specifically examine the impact on melanocytes and melanoma development.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing research findings on UVA and UVB effects on skin mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.
  • Analysis of studies involving animal models and human skin explants.

Main Results:

  • Both UVA and UVB induce mutations and mutagenic photoproducts (e.g., cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers) in human skin.

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Studying Chronic Exposure of Mice to Ultraviolet B Radiation

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Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells
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Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

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Studying Chronic Exposure of Mice to Ultraviolet B Radiation

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  • UVB is a known inducer of melanoma in mice and engineered human skin.
  • UVA can cause melanoma in fish and melanocytic hyperplasia in opossums; its role in mammalian melanoma is less studied but it is a known mutagen.

    • Conclusions:

    • There is no evidence to support the safety of UVA radiation.
    • Recreational exposure to UVA, a known mutagen, should be discouraged.
    • Further research on UVA's role in melanoma induction in mammals is warranted.