Tyrosinase:Recent Prospects

Tyrosinase is a copper-containing enzyme,as known as polyphenol oxidase,which is widely distributed in microorganisms,plants and animals.In human being,tyrosinase is the key enzyme for melanin biosynthesis,and is associated with melanin hyperpigmentation such as melasma,freckles,ephelide,senile lentigines.Furthermore,the studies for tyrosinase including the structure,expression and regulation of coding tyrosinase gene,and the inhibitors and activators of tyrosinase,have been paid attention to in the world.As so far,the active site and catalyic capacity of tyrosinase have been studied intensively,however,the three-dimensional structure of tyrosinase has been unclear.