Which component is NOT involved in determining skin pigmentation?

The determination of skin pigmentation primarily revolves around the characteristics of melanin—the pigment responsible for color in skin, hair, and eyes. Depth, distribution, and size of melanin granules all influence how pigmentation appears in individuals.

Depth of melanin refers to how deep within the skin layers this pigment is found; greater depth can result in darker pigmentation. Distribution considers how evenly or unevenly melanin is scattered throughout the skin, which can affect the uniformity of color. The size of melanin granules also plays a role; larger granules can create a different hue compared to smaller ones.

Ambient temperature, however, does not directly influence the biological processes that determine melanin production and distribution in the skin. Instead, factors such as genetic inheritance and UV radiation exposure from the sun are much more influential in determining skin pigmentation. Thus, ambient temperature is not a factor in the biochemical and physiological aspects of skin color determination.