- Melanocytes originate from the neural crest. During early embryogenesis, melanocyte precursors migrate from the neural crest to the epidermis in a dorsolateral fashion. This migration is also done to the internal ear.
- This migration pathway and the maturation of the melanoblasts are regulated by a variety of factors, which included tyrosinase receptors such as c-kit.
- Mutations of genes which contraol this pathway induce localized depigmentation and leukkotrichia as in Waardenburg Syndrome and Piedbaldism. In these 2 disorders, hearing and colonic function are also impaired
Brothers with Waardenburg syndrome (Synonyms: Waardenburg Shah syndrome, Waardenburg-Klein syndrome, Mende II syndrome, Van der Hoeve-Halbertsma-Waardenburg syndrome, Ptosis-Epicanthus syndrome, Van der Hoeve-Halbertsma-Gualdi syndrome, Waardenburg type Pierpont, Van der Hoeve-Waardenburg-Klein syndrome, Waardenburg II syndrome and Vogt syndrome).
- The migration of melanocytes is halted in the dermis in disorders such as Mongoloid Spots, nevus of Ota, Nevus of Ito and nevus of Hori.
Source of information: Goh BK. The Science Behind Pigmentary Disorders. NSC Dermatology Update 2012, Singapore
Original article: here
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