All articles tagged with #pigment
Archaeologists discovered a pebble with a human fingerprint and red pigment, likely made by Neanderthals around 43,000 years ago, suggesting they engaged in symbolic or artistic activities, challenging previous notions of their cognitive abilities.
Despite their name, blueberries do not actually contain blue pigment. The observed blue color of blueberries is due to the way light interacts with the randomly arranged crystal structures of the thin wax layer that coats the fruit, rather than from pigmentation within the fruit. A study from the University of Bristol revealed that the wax coating contains miniature structures that scatter blue and UV light, creating the appearance of blue. This previously unknown coloration mechanism in blue fruit could lead to the development of new artificial materials with similar functionality.
Researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine have found that certain stem cells called melanocyte stem cells (McSCs) have the ability to maintain the original pigment in hair strands. As hair ages, more McSCs become stuck in a compartment called the hair follicle bulge, where they fail to mature into pigment-producing cells. The scientists hope this research may lead to answers for keeping hair healthy and colored long into old age. The team plans to investigate means of restoring the motility of McSCs or physically moving them back to their germ compartment where they can produce pigment, thus stopping hairs from turning gray.
Scientists have discovered that melanocyte stem cells become stuck inside the hair follicle and are unable to produce pigment, causing hair to turn grey as we age. The pigment-producing part of a stem cell changes as the hair ages, sheds, and grows back. The stem cells get stuck in a part of the hair follicle called the hair follicle bulge, failing to mature into fully-fledged melanocytes. The researchers suggest that their findings could open up a potential way to reverse or prevent grey hair by helping jammed cells to move again between developing hair follicle compartments.
Researchers have discovered that certain stem cells, called melanocyte stem cells, get stuck in hair follicles as people age, causing hair to turn gray. The study, which focused on cells in the skin of mice, suggests that the same fixed-positioning of melanocyte stem cells may exist in humans, presenting a potential pathway for reversing or preventing the graying of human hair by helping jammed cells to move again between developing hair follicle compartments.