Isolation of melanosomes from keratinous structures: current state of the art.

Isolation of melanosomes from hair or feathers is difficult due to the need to break keratin structures using a strong chemical treatment. All recently published isolation approaches were examined in the isolation of melanosomes from human and dog hair. The best results were achieved from immediate separation of melanosomes by centrifugation after controlled NaOH hydrolysis of the hair. The crucial factor for successful separation is the choice of the optimal amount of time required for disintegration of the hair: if the time chosen is too long, melanosomes are damaged; if it is too short, contamination by residual keratin ensues. High temperatures must be avoided. Attempts to break hair structure by a number of milder reagents have failed.