{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,15]],"date-time":"2025-10-15T18:04:02Z","timestamp":1760551442697,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,17]],"date-time":"2021-05-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1621209600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The melanin fluorescence emitted by pigment cells of the human skin has been a central research topic for decades, because melanin, on the one hand, protects against (solar) radiation in the near-UV range, whereas on the other hand, melanocytes are the starting point for the malignant transformation into melanoma. Until recently, however, melanin fluorescence was not accessible in the context of conventional spectroscopy, because it is ultraweak and is overshadowed by the more intense so-called autofluorescence of endogenous fluorophores. The advent of a new method of laser spectroscopy has made this melanin fluorescence measurable in vivo. A stepwise two-photon absorption with 800 nm photons is used, which more selectively excites melanin (dermatofluoroscopy). Our review summarizes the experimental results on melanin fluorescence of the four types of cutaneous pigment cells from healthy and malignant tissues. Outstanding is the finding that different types of melanocytes (i.e., melanocytes of common nevi, versus dysplastic nevi or versus melanoma cells) show characteristically different fluorescence spectra. The possibilities of using this melanin fluorescence for melanoma diagnosis are shown. Moreover, the uniform fluorescence spectra emitted by different melanoma subtypes are essential. Conclusions are drawn about the molecular processes in the melanosomes that determine fluorescence. Finally, experimental suggestions for further investigations are given.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms22105265","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,17]],"date-time":"2021-05-17T12:19:57Z","timestamp":1621253997000},"page":"5265","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["From Melanocytes to Melanoma Cells: Characterization of the Malignant Transformation by Four Distinctly Different Melanin Fluorescence Spectra (Review)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"given":"Dieter","family":"Leupold","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"LTB Lasertechnik Berlin, Am Studio 2c, 12483 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lutz","family":"Pfeifer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LTB Lasertechnik Berlin, Am Studio 2c, 12483 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maja","family":"Hofmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Klinik f\u00fcr Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, Charit\u00e9-Universit\u00e4tsmedizin, Charit\u00e9platz 1, 10115 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6185-4945","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Forschner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hautklinik, Universit\u00e4ts-Klinikum T\u00fcbingen, Liebermeisterstra\u00dfe 25, 72076 T\u00fcbingen, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gerd","family":"Wessler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hautarztpraxis Berlin, Linderhofstrasse 20, 12623 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Holger","family":"Haenssle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hautklinik, Universit\u00e4tsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 440, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2041","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers11122041","article-title":"Review of Key Biological and Molecular Events Underpinning Transformation of Melanocytes to Primary and Metastatic Melanoma","volume":"11","author":"Scolyer","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cancers"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"500","DOI":"10.5858\/arpa.2019-0561-RA","article-title":"The 2018 World Health Organization classification of cutaneous, mucosal, and uveal melanoma: Detailed analysis of 9 distinct subtypes defined by their evolutionary pathway","volume":"144","author":"Elder","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arch. 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