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Maintenance of distinct melanocyte populations in the interfollicular epidermis

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
  • James D. Glover
  • Stefan Knolle
  • Kirsty L. Wells
  • Dianbo Liu
  • Ian J. Jackson
  • Richard L. Mort
  • Denis J. Headon
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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>07/2015
<mark>Journal</mark>Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research
Issue number4
Volume28
Number of pages5
Pages (from-to)476-480
Publication StatusPublished
Early online date30/04/15
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Hair follicles and sweat glands are recognized as reservoirs of melanocyte stem cells (MSCs). Unlike differentiated melanocytes, undifferentiated MSCs do not produce melanin. They serve as a source of differentiated melanocytes for the hair follicle and contribute to the interfollicular epidermis upon wounding, exposure to ultraviolet irradiation or in remission from vitiligo, where repigmentation often spreads outwards from the hair follicles. It is unknown whether these observations reflect the normal homoeostatic mechanism of melanocyte renewal or whether unperturbed interfollicular epidermis can maintain a melanocyte population that is independent of the skin's appendages. Here, we show that mouse tail skin lacking appendages does maintain a stable melanocyte number, including a low frequency of amelanotic melanocytes, into adult life. Furthermore, we show that actively cycling differentiated melanocytes are present in postnatal skin, indicating that amelanotic melanocytes are not uniquely relied on for melanocyte homoeostasis.

Bibliographic note

© 2015 The Authors. Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.