Development of Melanocytes from ES Cells

説明

Publisher Summary Melanocytes or their precursors melanoblasts are derived from the neural crest. After extensive migration, they reside in the skin, inner ear, and uveal tract as highly dendritic and heavily pigmented cells, and they are generally located in the epidermal basal cell layer of these areas, including hair follicles. Genetic observations indicate that steel factor (SLF, also known as MGF, SCF) and endothelin (ET3) are essential factors for the early stages of melanocyte development. The generation of melanocytes from embryonic stem (ES) cells depends on steel factor and is promoted by ET3. Precise analysis has suggested that steel factor-dependent melanoblasts are generated from day 6 to 12 of differentiation. This chapter describes a procedure for inducing the differentiation of the melanocyte lineage from ES cells. It is because instead of the conventional gene-knockout approach, ES culture system is fast to test whether or not the gene inactivated in ES cell is indispensable for neural crest or melanocyte development. Many candidate genes that can possibly affect melanocytes or neural crest development can be functionally verified through ES culture system. In addition, factors that may affect melanocytes could be tested by using this culture system.

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