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Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
Published on: September 7, 2013
Lighting a path to pigmentation: mechanisms of MITF induction by UV
1Department of Dermatology, Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract:
While sunlight is important for life, ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can have harmful and mutagenic effects. This duality is particularly relevant to human skin, in which UVR both participates in evolutionarily important photochemical reactions yet may act as a potential carcinogen. UVR can upregulate production of melanin, the "tanning response" that serves a photoprotective function. This genetic program is centrally tuned by the transcription factor MITF, a master regulator of melanogenesis and melanocyte function. In this review, we discuss the myriad consequences of UV exposure for skin homeostasis, highlighting the diverse pathways activated by this ultraviolet radiation.
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