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Review
. 2013 Feb;30(1):30-41.
doi: 10.5114/pdia.2013.33376. Epub 2013 Feb 20.

Skin melanocytes: biology and development

Mirosława Cichorek  1 , Małgorzata Wachulska, Aneta Stasiewicz, Agata Tymińska
Affiliations
Review

Skin melanocytes: biology and development

Mirosława Cichorek et al. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2013 Feb.

Abstract

In the human skin, melanocytes are present in the epidermis and hair follicles. The basic features of these cells are the ability to melanin production and the origin from neural crest cells. This last element is important because there are other cells able to produce melanin but of different embryonic origin (pigmented epithelium of retina, some neurons, adipocytes). The life cycle of melanocyte consists of several steps including differentiation of melanocyte lineage/s from neural crest, migration and proliferation of melanoblasts, differentiation of melanoblasts into melanocytes, proliferation and maturation of melanocytes at the target places (activity of melanogenic enzymes, melanosome formation and transport to keratinocytes) and eventual cell death (hair melanocytes). Melanocytes of the epidermis and hair are cells sharing some common features but in general they form biologically different populations living in unique niches of the skin.

Keywords: melanocytes; neural crest cells; stem cells.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Scheme of the epidermis structure. Melanocyte reside between the basal layer cells and through dendritic processes communicates with about 30-40 keratinocytes in the epidermal melanin unit. Melanocyte synthesizes melanins in melanosomes transported into keratinocytes to protect them from UV radiation
Figure 2
Figure 2
Graphical presentation of the basic elements in keratinocytes-melanocytes cooperation. The melanocyte proliferation, differentiation, melanogenesis are under control of factors secreted by surrounding keratinocytes SCF – stem cell factor, bFGF – basic fibroblast growth factor, GM-CSF – granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, ET-1 – endothelin 1, α-MSH – melanocyte-stimulating hormone, PGE2 – prostaglandin E2, PGF2α – prostaglandin F2α, NGF – nerve growth factor, c-Kit – tyrosine kinase receptor, FGFR1/2 – fibroblast growth factor receptor, GM-CSFR – granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor, ETBR – endothelin B receptor, MC1R – melanocortin 1 receptor, EP1/EP3/FP – prostanoid receptors, NGFR – nerve growth factor receptor, MAPK – mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, PKC – protein kinase C, PKA – protein kinase A, PLC – phospholipase C, TYR – tyrosinase, TYRP1 – tyrosinase-related protein 1, TYRP2 – tyrosinase-related protein 2, MITF-M – melanocyte-specific MITF (microphthalmia- associated transcription factor) isoform, CRE – cAMP response elements, CREB – cAMP response element-binding
Figure 3
Figure 3
Melanocyte localization in the hair between cells covering the hair papilla in the hair bulb. Stem cells for melanocytes are located in the region named the hair bulge
Figure 4
Figure 4
Simplified scheme of the melanin synthesis in melanocytes during melanogenesis. Tyrosine under influence of the basic enzymes such as tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosine- related protein 1 (TYRP1) and 2 (TYRP2) changes into a polymer of melanin, a mixture of pigments named eumelanin (black-brown) and pheomelanin (yellow-red)
Figure 5
Figure 5
Development of the neural crest cells (NCC) during early embryogenesis at a 4-week-old embryo from neuroectoderm. The neuroectodermal cells proliferate, form the neural plate that folds, fuses and changes into neural tube (A, B). During this neurulation process, cells from edges (crests) of the neural plate separate from the neural tube as independent population of embryonic cells named neural crest cells, that is located above the neural tube (future brain and spinal cord) and beneath surface ectoderm (future epidermis) (C)
Figure 6
Figure 6
Derivatives of the trunk (A) and cranial (B) neural crest cells (NCC) and the basic pathways of the trunk NCC migration during early embryonic time. Dorsally migrating trunk NCC move between the surface ectoderm and somites, finally develop into melanocytes of the epidermis and hair (A). Ventrally migrating trunk NCC move between the neural tube and somites, give elements of the peripheral nervous system (ganglionic cells, Schwann cells), medulla of the adrenal glands and according to latest investigations, melanocytes of the skin (A)
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