title: Growth characteristics of human epidermal melanocytes in pure culture with special reference to genetic differences.
abstract: Human melanocyte cultures were established using disaggregated epidermal cell suspensions derived from foreskins and plated onto culture dishes in medium containing 2% fetal bovine serum, growth factors, hormones, and melanocyte growth factor (MGF) extracted from bovine hypothalamus (Wilkins et al., J.Cell. Physiol., 122:350, 1985). After 2 days in culture the cells were transferred to serum-free medium to eliminate keratinocyte and fibroblast growth. Melanocytes grew preferentially and pure melanocyte populations could be harvested after 12-16 days in vitro. Melanocytes were later subcultured in the presence of 1% FBS. Pure melanocyte cultures were characterized by light and electron microscopic criteria, as well as by cytochemical demonstration of the melanocyte-specific enzyme, tyrosinase. At the ultrastructural level, cultured melanocytes derived from black (negroid) neonatal skin (B-M) had numerous mature rod-shaped stage IV melanosomes, while white (caucasoid) skin-derived melanocytes (W-M) in culture contained no mature melanosomes. Growth rate, cell yield, and in vitro lifespan for B-M were more than twice that for W-M in pure melanocyte cultures in the presence of MGF. Our results suggest that MGF-dependent growth of B-M differs from that of W-M.
authors: Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Hirobe
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Flynn
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Szabo
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Vrabel
authors: R I
authors: RI
authors: Garcia
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D044465:White People