The Role of Copper in Mammalian Pigmentation.

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Abstract
The autoxidation of 1-di-hydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) in vitro is more strongly catalyzed by Cu than by other heavy metallic salts investigated. Black and gray hair of rabbits, rats and guinea pigs generally, but not always contain more Cu than white hair of the same individual. In guinea pigs, red-brown hair contains more iron than white hair. There is considerably more copper in the isolated human epidermis than in the corium. Melanin from mouse melanomas contains 4 to 13 times more Cu than the tumor from which it is prepd. These data support the theory that Cu acts as a local catalyst in mammalian pigmentation.