Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Pigmentation01:19

Pigmentation

4.1K
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...
4.1K
Mutations01:35

Mutations

42.7K
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...
42.7K
Skin Cancer01:30

Skin Cancer

5.7K
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...
5.7K
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

7.6K
The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin...
7.6K
Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives01:14

Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives

3.3K
The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
3.3K
Nucleotide Excision Repair01:38

Nucleotide Excision Repair

5.0K
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...
5.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Thirty years of therapeutic innovation in melanoma research.

Melanoma research·2021
Same author

Epimutation and Cancer: Carcinogenesis Viewed as Error-Prone Inheritance of Epigenetic Information.

Journal of oncology·2018
Same author

Investigation of the anomalous action of 5-hydroxyresorcinol on tyrosinase.

Pigment cell & melanoma research·2016
Same author

Oxidative calcium release from catechol.

Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters·2015
Same author

Failure of fidelity of vertical transmission of epigenetic patterning as the basis of cancer.

Melanoma research·2014
Same author

Mechanistic aspects of the tyrosinase oxidation of hydroquinone.

Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters·2014

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
12:37

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

Published on: September 7, 2013

18.7K

Stimulation of Skin Pigmentation with UVR Is a Risk Factor for Cholelithiasis.

Stanislav Pavel1, Patrick A Riley2

  • 1DermAdvice, Kudelstaart, The Netherlands.

JID Innovations : Skin Science From Molecules to Population Health
|October 2, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Fair skin combined with UV exposure increases the risk of gallstones. Melanin precursors may be excreted in bile, forming gallstones, particularly in fair-skinned individuals who sunbathe.

Keywords:
Cutaneous pigmentationGallstonesMelanogenesisPathogenesisUVR

More Related Videos

Studying Chronic Exposure of Mice to Ultraviolet B Radiation
03:20

Studying Chronic Exposure of Mice to Ultraviolet B Radiation

Published on: August 19, 2025

1.9K
Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ
10:05

Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ

Published on: May 8, 2020

2.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
12:37

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

Published on: September 7, 2013

18.7K
Studying Chronic Exposure of Mice to Ultraviolet B Radiation
03:20

Studying Chronic Exposure of Mice to Ultraviolet B Radiation

Published on: August 19, 2025

1.9K
Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ
10:05

Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ

Published on: May 8, 2020

2.2K

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Dermatology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Clinical observations suggest a link between fair skin and gallstone formation (cholelithiasis).
  • The precise mechanism connecting skin pigmentation to gallstone development was previously unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the hypothesis that reactive melanin precursors excreted in bile contribute to gallstone formation.
  • To investigate the role of UV radiation in exacerbating this risk in fair-skinned individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Review of laboratory studies on melanin precursors and bile excretion.
  • Analysis of clinical data correlating skin type, UV exposure, and cholelithiasis incidence.
  • Examination of studies on psoriasis patients and seasonal variations in gallstone-related procedures.

Main Results:

  • Higher excretion of melanin precursors is indicated in fair skin after UV irradiation.
  • Fair-skinned individuals engaging in sunbathing show a significantly elevated risk of cholelithiasis.
  • Increased cholelithiasis and related complications (cholecystectomies, pancreatitis) are observed in summer and among psoriasis patients.

Conclusions:

  • Fair skin is proposed as a risk factor for cholelithiasis, specifically when combined with UV-induced cutaneous pigmentation.
  • Melanin precursors excreted via bile are a plausible mechanism for gallstone formation in susceptible individuals.