2017/07/14 by Cynthia D. Cooper
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Nursing · #Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques #Retinal Development and Disorders #melanin and skin pigmentation
paper · doi:10.1002/dvdy.24550
openalex publication_date 2017/07/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Black pigment cells, melanocytes, arise early during development from multipotent neural crest cells. Melanocytes protect human skin from DNA damaging sunrays and provide color for hair, eyes, and skin. Several disorders and diseases originate from these cells, including the deadliest skin cell cancer, melanoma. Thus, melanocytes are critical for a healthy life and for protecting humans from disease. Due to the ease of visualizing pigment cells through transparent larvae skin and conserved roles for zebrafish melanophore genes to mammalian melanocyte genes, zebrafish larvae offer a biologically relevant model for understanding pigment cell development and disease in humans. This review discusses our current knowledge of melanophore biology and how zebrafish are contributing to improving how diseases of melanocytes are understood and treated in humans. Developmental Dynamics 246:889-896, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.