From Neural Crest Cells to Melanocytes: Cellular Plasticity During Development and Beyond
March 2019
in “
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
”
TLDR Melanocyte development from neural crest cells is complex and influenced by many factors, and better understanding could help treat skin disorders.
The document reviews the development, differentiation, and plasticity of melanocytes from neural crest cells, highlighting the influence of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors on their lineage specification during embryonic development and in the postnatal stage. It discusses the challenges in tracing melanocyte lineage due to varying results from different fate-mapping studies and emphasizes the need for more precise tools to understand the relationship between Schwann cell precursors and melanocytes. The review also describes the role of melanocytes in skin and hair pigmentation, noting the importance of KIT/KITL and ET3 signaling in melanoblast activity, and the presence of melanocyte stem cells in the hair follicle bulge that are essential for hair pigmentation and cycle. It identifies Wnt and TGF-ß signaling as key regulators of melanocyte stem cell activation and quiescence, respectively, and notes that disruptions in these pathways can lead to hair graying. The document concludes that a deeper understanding of melanocyte biology could inform treatments for skin disorders and acknowledges funding sources without any conflict of interest.
