 Hey everybody, Dr. O, this video is going to go into a little bit more detail on melanocyte stimulating hormone. So you actually don't see it here on this screen because it's in the intermediate zone between the anterior and posterior lobes of the tertiary gland. But what melanocyte stimulating hormone does is, like the name implies, it stimulates melanocytes to produce melanin. Now we understand more the local production of this. So local increases in melanocyte stimulating hormone in the skin are relieved to the skin darkening with exposure to UV light, so tanning, freckles, and that kind of stuff. So we understand that. But the role of the melanocyte stimulating hormone that comes from the pituitary gland is not quite as well understood because people with different skin color appear to have the same amount of melanocyte stimulating hormone. So it probably has to do with how it's expressing genes or how sensitive someone's receptors are to it perhaps, but I don't know. What you have to know at this point is melanocyte stimulating hormone is going to stimulate melanocytes that you see here at the bottom of the screen here to make more melanin increasing the color of the skin. As you can see on the left hand side, more melanin darker skin, right hand side less melanin lighter skin. So obviously your skin can get dark, skin color is determined genetically with how much melanin is being produced in the womb, et cetera. But then skin color can change with exposure to UV light, pregnancy and some disease states can also impact melanocyte stimulating hormone. This is why you might see some skin color changes with some disease states and during pregnancy. This especially seems to impact the skin around the areola and the labia minora in females so you can see some skin color changes there during pregnancy. So all right, that is melanocyte stimulating hormone. I hope this helps. Have a wonderful day. Be blessed.