What are small granules filled with melanin, produced by melanocytes, called?

Small granules filled with melanin produced by melanocytes are called melanosomes. Melanocytes are the specialized cells located in the basal layer of the epidermis that synthesize melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color. Once melanin is produced within melanocytes, it is stored in organelles known as melanosomes. These melanosomes then transport the melanin to other cells, such as keratinocytes, where they play a key role in the pigmentation of the skin.

Understanding the role of melanosomes is crucial because they are the actual structures that house the melanin produced by melanocytes, differentiating them from melanocytes themselves, which are the cells responsible for the production of melanin. This distinction is important for comprehending how pigmentation and protection against UV radiation function within the skin.