Human Hair Melanins: What We Have Learned and Have Not Learned from Mouse Coat Color Pigmentation

The document discussed the biochemical processes involved in human hair pigmentation, focusing on the production of two types of melanin: eumelanin and pheomelanin. It highlighted the role of various proteins and enzymes, such as tyrosinase and MC1R, in melanogenesis. While extensive research had been conducted on mouse coat color pigmentation, there was limited understanding of the effects of mutations in these proteins on human hair pigmentation, except for MC1R polymorphisms. The study emphasized the importance of pH and cysteine levels in melanosomes and proposed a hypothesis to explain the diversity of human hair pigmentation based on these factors.