title: Catecholamine melanins. Structural changes induced by copper ions.
abstract: Melanins synthesized from adrenaline and dopamine in the presence or absence of copper ions were characterized by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and by IR and ESR methods. It was shown that Cu2+ are able to induce changes in the melanin structure. Melanins obtained from adrenaline-Cu2+ and dopamine-Cu2+ complexes are composed mainly from monomeric units of the indole type. Melanins synthesized from these catecholamines without Cu2+ contain additionally large amounts of unindolized monomeric units. The structure differences in both types of melanins are reflected in their sorptive abilities and spectroscopic characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Silesian Medical Academy, Sosnowiec, Poland.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Stepień
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dworzański
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bilińska
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porebska-Budny
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hollek
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilczok
mesh_terms: D002738:Chloroquine / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; D003300:Copper; D002738:Chloroquine; D004298:Dopamine; D004837:Epinephrine