[Culture of human melanocytes. Its contribution to the knowledge of melanocyte physiology]

Abstract

Culture techniques for normal human melanocytes have been developed over the last ten years. This in vitro model for studying pigment-producing cells can be expected to provide major advances in the knowledge of cell-to-cell anc cell-to-matrix interactions, melanocyte and melanin biology, pathophysiology of pigment disorders, and malignant melanomas. Melanocyte cultures have already shed new light on keratinocyte-melanocyte interactions within the epidermal melanin unit by showing that keratinocytes produce "melanotrophic factors" which modulate growth, melanin production, and dendricity of melanocytes. Melanocyte cultures also enable in vitro studies of melanocyte responses to ultraviolet radiations and of the biologic messengers involved in these responses. Lastly, they provide a means for investigating endocrine and paracrine mechanisms involved in the regulation of melanogenesis, including the role of melanotropins, estrogens and vitamin D. Improved knowledge of the molecular biology of melanocytes provides hope for rapid advances in the understanding of tyrosinase and posttyrosinase regulation of melanogenesis. Lastly, melanocyte cultures can be expected to find useful applications in the pathophysiologic study of pigment disorders and of pharmacologic modulation of skin pigmentation.