title: Effects of estrogen and estrogen receptor in normal human melanocytes.
abstract: Normal human melanocytes were cultured selectively with F12 culture medium supplemented with growth hormones, phorbol ester and 1% of fetal calf serum. The estrogen receptors were analyzed using hydroxylapatite-column assay with tritiated 17-beta-estradiol as the binding ligand. Phenol red- free medium was used when the changes in cell numbers, melanin content and tyrosinase were assessed after incubating with physiological concentration of 17-beta estradiol (10(-12) and 10(-9) M). It was found that the melanocytes contained both cytosol (5.42 +/- 1.11 fmol/mg protein) and nuclear (59.13 +/- 17.12 fmol/mg protein) estrogen receptor. In response to estradiol, the cell number increased but both the melanin content and the tyrosinase activity decreased in a dose related pattern. These data suggested the presence of estrogen receptor with biological function in normal human melanocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei R.O.C.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D004958:Estradiol; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase