• Question: Can you make someone change skin colour using genetics?

    Asked by dw84hghe to Chris, Kay, Kerstin, Lorna, Liv on 17 Mar 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Kerstin Zechner

      Kerstin Zechner answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      In an embryo, you could hypothetically change a babies skin colour. Melanin is what makes skin darker, so if you changed genes that are responisble for production of melanin in the embryo, you could change the colour of skin.

    • Photo: Olivia Hibbitt

      Olivia Hibbitt answered on 18 Mar 2010:

      Hey dw84hghe….awesome chat session yesterday!

      I really doubt this could happen!! There is a drug coming out that was developed in Australia to try and beat skin cancer. It stimulates melanocytes (the cells that make tans go darker) to produce more melanin. Firstly, this makes the skin go darker, but the darker skin has more protection from UV radiation, so protects you from skin cancer…..it also decreases appetite…..so you’ll be skinny and tanned if you take it!!!!

    • Photo: Kay Penicud

      Kay Penicud answered on 19 Mar 2010:

      We don’t have the technology to do that, it would involve changing all the genes involved in pigmenting the skin.

    • Photo: Chris Needham

      Chris Needham answered on 19 Mar 2010:

      Personally no I can’t. I’m sure it’s possible though – I think I heard that there are rare occurances of this happening naturally.

      Possibly interesting article:
      http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR2005121501728.html

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