The skin is the body's largest organ. It's made up of many different types of cells. Oils, produced by the sebaceous glands, prevent the skin from drying and splitting. The pigment melanin, produced by melanocytes in the epidermis, protects the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. Sweat, released through ducts to the skin surface, helps to cool the body. The types of cells that produce these compounds have different numbers of specific organelles, depending on their function.
-Melanocytes use many enzymes to produce melanin. Based on their function, you would expect melanocytes in the skin to have a higher than usual number of
A) lysosomes.
B) chloroplasts.
C) ribosomes.
D) microtubules.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Melanocytes produce melanin, a pigment, through a process that requires the synthesis of proteins. Ribosomes are the organelles responsible for protein synthesis. Therefore, melanocytes would have a higher than usual number of ribosomes to facilitate the production of melanin.

The Skin Is the Body's Largest Organ