UNDERSTANDING ALBINISM

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Kilolo Project

LEARNING and TEACHING

Tulime ong

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Hello!
Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

I m Lilian Mutosi
I m 28 years old. I m HIV-positive. I have three children. They are going to school.

Uganda Albinos' Association

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I m Ivan Mukasa
Im 19 years old. I have lost parents. Im going to school, but Im in need for school fees and support.

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

I m Robert Kakoma
I m 12 years old. I were discovered in areas around Mountain Rwenzori, when my father had rejected at my time of birth, which brought separation of my parent's marriage.

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

I m Innocent Muhumuza
I m 12 years old. The story of my life is sad too. Its related to that of Robert. I were rejected.

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

I m Doreen Akahebwa
I m 15 years old. I were discovered in Kampala suburbs. Im yearning to go for further studies. Im in the ordinary level school now.

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

I m Faith Namuyanja
I m 17 years old. I were discovered in Kampala suburbs. Im going to school. I m yearning to go for University studies.

Uganda Albinos' Asociation www.albinismo.it

Im John Waiswa
I m 4 years old. I were discovered in the Eastern region of Uganda. My story is a dad story of rejection. Im supposed to begin schooling at my age, but my single mother cannot support me.

Uganda Albino's Association www.albinismo.it

Im Madina Nambi
I m 10 years old. My story is similar to Johns. I were once in school later dropped because of poor vision. My parents cannot afford hospital bills for my proper vision.

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

Im Andrew Mwanje
Im 8 years old. I havent pale appearance because I have ocular albinism. Im sharing a story with Madina. I were once in school later dropped because of poor vision. My parents cannot afford hospital bills for my proper vision.
Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

Im Apollo Lwanga
Im 11 years old. Im under the care of my grandmother who cannot afford my life both at school and home.

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

Madina John Andrew

We will speak about albinism.

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

Ivan Faith Doreen

Attend each lesson with great attention!

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

Apollo

Lilian

Robert

Lesson 1 What is Albinism?

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

What does the word ALBINISM mean?

The word ALBINISM describes a condition that sometimes is present at birth in humans and animals. Humans and animals have ALBINISM when they haven t the usual amount of pigment or color in the skin, in the eyes and in the hair, www.albinismo.it fur or feather.

fish

Albinism in Animals
amphibian

reptile

bird

mammalian
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The hair color is different:

albino

no albino

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Albinsm in Human
Black ethnic background

Yellow ethnic background White ethnic background

L.V., L.Shimoni, K.Inagaki www.albinismo.it

The PLANTS can have albinism too.

This happens when they havent the usual amount of pigment or color in the stems and leaves and/or petals.
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In Italy on 60.626.442 about 3900 people have one of the types of albinism.

OCA1 is the most common type of albinism.

Albinismo in Italia. Indagine statistica www.albinismo.it

There isnt statistics on incidence of Albinism in Africa.

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What is the name of pigment or color that is found in the skin, hair and eyes?

MELANIN
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What is melanin? MELANIN is a compound that colors our skin, hair and eyes. There are two types of melanin: black-brwon melanin (eumelanin), red-blond melanin (pheomelanin). Eumelanin and pheomelanin are present in different amount and different mixture in three different ethnic groups (black, yellow, white), in an ethnic group, in a family.
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Normal variation of skin color in different ethnic groups

G.E.Costin

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Relationship of skin color to latitude

higher numbers represent darker color skin.

Biasutti www.albinismo.it

When there is the usual amount of melanin, the skin, hair and eyes of a person that belongs to the black ethnic group are dark, black. When there isnt the usual amount of melanin, the skin, hair and eyes of a person that belongs to black ethnic group are pale. This person HAS ALBINISM.
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Innocent ed Antony belong to black ethnic group.

Innocent
tonksred300

Antony
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The skin, hair and eyes of Innocent are pale, but the skin, hair and eyes of Antony are dark. Innocent HAS ALBINISM

Antony HASN T ALBINISM

tonksred300 www.albinismo.it

Marta has pale skin, but she hasn t Albinism.

Marta has pale skin because she belongs to white ethnic group. Marta

M.C.C

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There are two form of Albinism: Oculocutaneous (OCA) and Ocular (OA) ALBINISM OCULOCUTANEOUS when there is little or no melanin in the skin, hair and eyes. ALBINISM OCULAR when there is little or no melanin in the eyes alone.
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ALBINISM
Oculocutaneous OCA Ocular OA

skin, hair, eyes

eyes

R. Pellegrino

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Ivan has oculocutaneous albinism

Andrew has ocular albinism

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Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) includes four types. Ocular Albinism (OA) includes one type.
ALBINISM Oculocutaneous OCA OCA1 OCA3 OCA2 OCA4
R. Pelllegrino www.albinismo.it

Ocular OA OA1

There are many steps in the process of converting the amino acid L-tyrosine to melanin

L.Montoliu-mod. R.Pellegrino

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The MELANIN forms in specialized organelles, the MELANOSOMES

EUmelanosomes

PHEOmelanosomes

contained in the MELANOCYTES

Slominski www.albinismo.it

The MELANOCYTE cell has a number of dendritic processes.

The melanocytes are found in the skin, in the hair and in the eyes.
R. Pellegrino www.albinismo.it

melanocytes location

skin

hair

eye

R. Pellegrino

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specifically:
Melanocytes location

skin

hair

eyes

epidermis

hair follicle

iris

retina

stroma irideo

epitelio retinico irideo

strato retinico pigmentato

R. Pellegrino

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Epidermis

Hair follicle
melanocytes
A.H.Robins, R. Pellegrino www.albinismo.it

strato pigmentato

bastoncelli

EYE
coni c.bipolari

retina
melanocytes
stroma irideo epitelio retinico irideo

melanocytes

iris

R. Pellegrino

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In different ethnic groups

the melanocytes number and distribution are essentially constant;

G.E.Costin www.albinismo.it

change: - number, distribution and packaging of melanosomes in the keratinocytes,

black yellow white

Sturn-mod. R.Pellegrino

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- melanization grade, - relationship eumelanin/pheomelanin.

pheomelanin
TYR MC1R cAMP P MATP cisteina DOPAchinone

eumelanin

Sturn-mod. R.Pellegrino

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What does melanin do?

The melanin colors the skin, the hair and the eyes; protects the skin from sun damage; does develope and work well the eyes.
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melanin functions

color

protection

development

skin

hair

skin

eyes

eyes

eyes

R. Pellegrino

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When there isn t the usual amount of melanin what does it happen?

The skin develops well and works well, but its pale and hasnt protection from sun damage. The hair develops well, but its pale. The eyes are pale, doesnt develop well and doesnt work well.
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SKIN changes color (white nearly normal pigmentation for ethnic and family background); hasnt protection from sun radiations. HAIR changes color alone. EYES dont develop well and dont work well.

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Innocent

The lesson 1 is over. For any question write to africa@albinismo.it

Uganda Albinos' Association www.albinismo.it

TO BE CONTINUED
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Kilolo Project

IMAGES: - Antony by Albinos in Africa Killed for their organs (2) by tonksred300 - Uganda Albinos Association e SKGF - Tulime ong - L.V., L. Shimoni, K.Inagaki, G.E.Costin, Biasutti, M.C.C , L.Montoliu-mod.R.Pellegrino, Slominski, A.H.Robins, R. Pellegrino, Albinismo News - www.albinismo.it PRESENTATION and TEXT: - R. Pellegrino, A. Falano, - www.albinismo.it

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Nota. Il testo presenta alcune piccole imprecisioni, al solo scopo di rendere pi elementari e pi chiari i concetti di base esposti.

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