Researchers have discovered 135 new genes that control the color of our skin, hair, and eyes. This finding could help create new treatments for skin conditions like vitiligo. They used special tools to change cells, which could also be useful for studying genes in bacteria and fungi.
Understanding How Skin Gets Its Color
Our skin color comes from something called melanin, which is a special color-making part of our body. Sometimes, things can go wrong with this part and change our skin color. The new study found 135 genes that affect how our skin gets its color.
This discovery might help make new medicines for skin problems like vitiligo. The leader of the study, Vivek Bajpai, says, “If we know more about how skin color works, we can help people with light skin avoid skin cancer.” He also thinks we could create medicines to help people with skin problems.
What the Study Found
The scientists found 169 genes that do something to skin color. Out of those, 135 were not known before. This important discovery was published in a special science journal. It happened because Bajpai, who works at the University of Oklahoma, and other scientists at Stanford University worked together.
Melanin is made inside special parts of our body called “melanosomes.” These are inside cells that make color. Even though everyone has the same number of these cells, the amount of melanin they make is different. This is why people have different skin colors.
How the Scientists Studied This
The scientists used a special tool called CRISPR-Cas9 to look at genes. This tool helps them see what genes do. They used it to change more than 20,000 genes in millions of cells. Then, they saw what happened to the skin color.
Bajpai made a new way to see how much melanin cells made. He shined light through the cells to see how much of the light was taken in or spread out. This helped him know how much melanin was there.
He says, “If there’s a lot of melanin, the light will spread out more. If there’s not much melanin, the light won’t spread out much.” By using this trick, they found new genes that make skin color.
Possible Benefits for Medicine and More Insights
This discovery isn’t just about skin color. It could also help create new medicines. For example, vitiligo is a skin condition where parts of the skin lose their color. Scientists think these new genes could help make medicines to bring back the lost color. This would be a big relief for people with vitiligo.
Working Together to Find Answers
The study was a team effort. Scientists from different places came together to learn more about skin color. Vivek Bajpai, who led the study, worked with other researchers from Stanford University. They used a special tool called CRISPR-Cas9. It’s like a detective tool that helps scientists understand how genes work.
Understanding Our Body’s Coloring System
Our bodies have a special system to give us color. It’s like a coloring book, and the color comes from melanin. This color helps protect our skin afrom the sun. But sometimes, things can go wrong and change our coloring. The new study helps us understand this coloring system better. By knowing more about it, we can find ways to fix problems when they happen.
A Step Toward Healthier Skin Care
This new discovery is like finding a puzzle piece that was missing. It helps us understand how our bodies work and why our skin looks the way it does. With more research, we might be able to create new treatments for skin problems and keep people healthier. And it’s all thanks to the hard work of scientists like Vivek Bajpai and his team.
Other Important Things We Can Learn
In the past, people needed darker skin to protect them from the sun. But as people moved to places with less sun, they didn’t need so much melanin. This made their skin lighter. This new tool could also help find genes in bacteria and fungi. These tiny things also make melanin, which can be bad for humans and plants.
Even though Bajpai worked at the University of Oklahoma, part of this study was done when he was at Stanford University. This is a big step to learn more about skin color and how it affects our health.
