What type of cells are responsible for producing melanin in the skin?

Melanocytes are specialized cells primarily responsible for the production of melanin, the pigment that gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes. These cells are primarily located in the basal layer of the epidermis, where they synthesize melanin in organelles known as melanosomes. Once produced, melanin is transferred from melanocytes to surrounding keratinocytes, where it provides protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation by absorbing and dissipating harmful rays. This process helps to prevent damage to the DNA within skin cells, thereby playing a critical role in skin health and pigmentation.

Keratocytes, which are more commonly referred to as keratinocytes, constitute the majority of the epidermis and play a key role in forming the skin's barrier but are not involved in melanin production. Chromatophores are pigment-containing cells found in some lower vertebrates and invertebrates, which serve a similar purpose but are not involved in human melanin synthesis. Langerhans cells are a type of dendritic cell that function in the skin's immune response, recognizing and presenting antigens to immune cells, but they do not have a role in melanin production.