title: Checkpoints of melanocyte stem cell development.
abstract: The bulge region of the adult hair follicle contains the niches for both epithelial and melanocyte stem cells. Recent evidence suggests that the development of melanocyte stem cells is controlled by a complex network of transcription factors, including Pax3, Sox10, and Mitf, and of regulatory extracellular cues such as Wnt. However, additional players are likely to be involved. It will be intriguing to identify these signals and to elucidate whether and how neighboring epithelial stem cells influence the balance between melanocyte stem cell maintenance and differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH-Hoenggerberg HPM E38, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland. lukas.sommer@cell.biol.ethz.ch
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006200:Hair Color; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology*; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000502:physiology; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor / Q000502:physiology; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology; D055757:SOXE Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; C497235:Mitf protein, mouse; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D055757:SOXE Transcription Factors; C527924:Sox10 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C068686:Pax3 protein, mouse; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C042501:dopachrome isomerase