Melan- (prefix)
Prefix meaning dark or black. It comes from the Greek “melas”, black. Examples of terms containing melan- include melancholia, melanin, melanocytes, melanoma and melena.
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- Melancholia
An old term for depression.
- Melanin
The pigment that gives human skin, hair, and eyes their color. Dark-skinned people have more melanin in their skin than light-skinned people have. Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes. It provides some protection again skin damage from the sun, and the melanocytes increase their production of melanin in response to sun exposure. Freckles, which […]
- Melanocyte
A cell in the skin that produces and contains the pigment melanin.
- Melanoderma
Increased skin pigmentation, darkening of the skin. This is directly due to an increased amount of melanin pigment in the skin when there is increased production of melanin by the melanocytes (the cells that make melanin) or if there is a rise in the number of melanocytes. Melanoderma comes from the Greek “melas”, black + […]
- Melanoma
acral-lentiginous melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma, nodular melanoma, and superficial spreading melanoma. Fair-skinned people and people with a family history of melanoma should always use a high-SPF sunscreen when outdoors. Everyone who has concern about an unusual mole-like spot should see their doctor. Detected early, melanoma is almost always treatable. Undetected, melanoma can spread rapidly and […]