Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Ultra-violet Absorption Investigation of Melanins

Abstract

ULTRA-VIOLET absorption studies demonstrate that the melanin of the ox-choroid is similar to the melanin obtained by the autoxidation of β-3 : 4 dihydroxy-phenylalanine1. In the present communication, it will be shown that the melanin of the ox-choroid is identical with that of black human hair, while red human hair contains a pigment related to, but not identical with, these melanins.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Stein, W. D., Nature, 174, 601 (1954).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Rothman, S., and Flesch, P., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. and Med., 62, 208 (1943).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

STEIN, W. Ultra-violet Absorption Investigation of Melanins. Nature 175, 472 (1955). https://doi.org/10.1038/175472a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/175472a0

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing