Structure and Function of Melanocytes: Microscopic Morphology and Cell Biology of Mouse Melanocytes in the Epidermis and Hair Follicle

The study explored the structure and function of mouse melanocytes, which are located in the basal layer of the epidermis and hair bulb, and are characterized by tyrosinase activity, melanosomes, and dendrites. Melanocytes differentiate from melanoblasts derived from the embryonic neural crest, with melanocyte-stimulating hormone playing a crucial role in their differentiation by inducing tyrosinase activity and melanosome formation. The proliferative activity of these cells during skin wound healing in newborn mice was regulated by semidominant genes, indicating genetic involvement in melanocyte differentiation. Environmental factors like ultraviolet and ionizing radiation also influenced melanocyte morphology and function. In serum-free cultures, basic fibroblast growth factor stimulated melanoblast proliferation, while melanocyte-stimulating hormone induced differentiation, highlighting the control exerted by genetic factors and local tissue environment, including hormones and growth factors, on melanocyte structure and function.