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Yes, the function of melanin changes based on where you live in the world. For example, if you live near the Poles, your skin will be more pale to help absorb any sunlight. However, if you live closer to the equator, you skin will be darker to help protect your skin from harsh UV rays.

Source: Edpuzzle

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Yes, there is a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and the amount of melanin in the skin. For instance, fair skinned people of European decent are nearly 6 times more efficient in making vitamin D from UVB rays than those living near the equator. This is triggered by different types of melanin pigments in the skin. Dark-skinned people have eu leaning which acts as a natural sunscreen, allowing for less production of vitamin D.

Source: https://www.nasw.org/article/vitamin-d-levels-determined-how-human-skin-color-evolved

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Through skin cells that contain molecules that can convert to vitamin D when they come in contact with UV rays. From there, it travels through your blood stream and into the liver and kidneys, where it truly becomes activated D or calcitriol.

Source: edpuzzle

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Yes there is a correlation with skin cancer and the amount of melanin in the skin. Many people with skin of color believe they are not at risk of skin cancer, but they are wrong. Everyone can get skin cancer with their skin type. Light-skinned people tend to get skin cancer more easily because they don't have enough melanin in the skin to protect them from the UV rays, but the cancer is not as deadly as darker-skinned people's. Darker-skinned people don't usually get skin cancer because they have more protection from the sun in their skin, but they can still get it. African Americans tend to have the worst prognosis and survival rate. Melanin helps protect the skin, but sometimes not enough. Even though darker-skinned people have more melanin, they can still get sunburned and receive a skin disease from UV damage.

Source: http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/skin-cancer-and-skin-of-color

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The benefits of vitamin D include developing bone and muscle growth, lowering high blood pressure, reducing the risk of the flu, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php

If you are vitamin D-deficient then you may experience bone pain, muscle weakness, depression, and increased blood pressure. Some serious health conditions that have been linked to vitamin D-deficiency are erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer, heart disease, dementia, and schizophrenia.

Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/illnesses-linked-vitamin-d-deficiency/

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Stratum Corneum-20-30 dead,horny layers
Stratum Lucidum- only in the thicker layers of skin
Stratum granuiosum-is a thin layer of cells in the epidermis.
Stratum spinosum-most layers; location of keranocyte
Stratum basale- Actively mitotic stem cells; as cells age they become part of superficial layers. Location of melanocyte

sources: notes
picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidermis

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They are found in the stratum basale and they synthesis melanin.
Sources: Notes
picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanocyte