I GUESS THIS IS ONE OF THE TOPIC OF INTERESTS FOR MANY OF US.For those who are still confused! I am talking about ‘tattooing’. Pigments
These are coloured substances present in most living beings including humans.
For the convenience pigments are classified in two categories:-
A.Endogenous pigments
1.Melanin
2.Melanin- like pigment
a.Alkaptonuria
b.Dubin johnson syndrome
3.Haemoprotein- derived pigments
a.Haemosiderin
b.Acid-haematin(Haemozoin)
c.Bilirubin
d.Porphyrins
B.Exogenous pigments
1.Inhaled pigments
2.Ingested pigments
3.Injected pigments
Although I am particularly going to talk about ‘exogenous pigments’..
EXOGENOUS PIGMENTS
These are the pigments introduced into the body from outside such as by inhalation,ingestion or injection.
Inhaled pigments
The lungs of most individuals,especially of those living in urban areas due to atmospheric pollutants and of smokers,show a large number of inhaled pigmented materials.
And these common inhaled substances are carbon or coal dust; others are silica or stone dust ,iron or iron oxide,asbestos and various other organic substances.
These pigment particles after inhalation are taken up by alveolar macrophages.And some of them are settled in interstitial tissue of the lung and in the respiratory bronchioles and pass into the lymphatics to be deposited in lumph nodes.
1.This may cause occupational lung disease called ‘pneumoconiosis’.
2.Anthracosis(i.e deposition of carbon particles) is seen in almost every adult lung.
Ingested pigments
Chronic ingestion of certain metals may produce pigmentation.
These are:-
1.Argyria due to ingestion of silver compound.
2.Chronic lead poisoning
3.Melanosis Coli results from prolonged ingestion of certain cathartics.
4.Carotenaemia is yellowish-red colouration of skin caused be excessive ingestion of carrots which contain carotene.
Injected pigments Or Tattooing
Now finally some brief account on tattooing…what is it?
Tattooing is the process of injecting certain pigments into the dermis where these are taken up by macrophages and lies permanently in the connective tissue.
Few examples of pigments are -India ink,cinnabar and carbon..
And some examples of injected pigments are-prolonged use of ointments containing mercury, dirt left accidentally in a wound and ofcourse tattooing by pricking the skin with dyes.
Hope enjoyed:-)
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