Pigmentation is a physiological process that is triggered by sunlight (UV) exposure and occurs in the melanocytes located at the bottom of our epidermis. Melanin pigment gets synthesized inside melanosomes. Then, melanin-loaded melanosomes are transferred from melanocytes to neighboring keratinocytes, where melanin serves the ultimate purpose of protecting cellular DNA from UV-induced damage.
Recent experimental evidence has indicated that melanosomes and the pigmentation apparatus are used to the advantage of melanoma cells (scavenging of ROS and other cytotoxic compounds, protection from drugs, shaping of the microenvironment to favor the growth of cancer cells, etc.).
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases that are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
This Research Topic mainly aims to collect original research articles/reports and reviews that further establish the pathological functions of an otherwise physiological process, and/or suggest new therapeutic strategies that take into account the pigmentation status of melanoma cells. It is also intended as a forum where ideas and viewpoints on the subject can be presented, using the Hypothesis and Theory, Perspective, or Opinion format.
Pigmentation is a physiological process that is triggered by sunlight (UV) exposure and occurs in the melanocytes located at the bottom of our epidermis. Melanin pigment gets synthesized inside melanosomes. Then, melanin-loaded melanosomes are transferred from melanocytes to neighboring keratinocytes, where melanin serves the ultimate purpose of protecting cellular DNA from UV-induced damage.
Recent experimental evidence has indicated that melanosomes and the pigmentation apparatus are used to the advantage of melanoma cells (scavenging of ROS and other cytotoxic compounds, protection from drugs, shaping of the microenvironment to favor the growth of cancer cells, etc.).
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases that are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
This Research Topic mainly aims to collect original research articles/reports and reviews that further establish the pathological functions of an otherwise physiological process, and/or suggest new therapeutic strategies that take into account the pigmentation status of melanoma cells. It is also intended as a forum where ideas and viewpoints on the subject can be presented, using the Hypothesis and Theory, Perspective, or Opinion format.
