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The patchwork mouse phenotype: implication for melanocyte replacement in the hair follicle
G Aubin-Houzelstein1, J J Panthier
1URA-INRA de Génétique Moléculaire, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, France.
Pigment Cell Research
|July 1, 1999
Summary
Mice with the patchwork mutation have pigment cells in their epidermis that can colonize hair follicles. However, hair follicles maintain their original pigment cell population, indicating hair color continuity.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Genetics
- Cell biology
Background:
- The patchwork (pwk) mutation in mice causes a variegated coat pattern with unpigmented and normally pigmented hairs.
- Unpigmented hairs result from the absence of melanocytes in hair bulbs, due to melanoblast death during embryogenesis.
- Pigmented hair bulbs contain functional melanocytes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and behavior of melanoblasts and melanocytes in the epidermis of pwk/pwk mice.
- To determine if epidermal pigment cells can colonize hair follicles, particularly after skin wounding.
- To understand the regulation of hair follicle pigmentation in the context of the pwk mutation.
Main Methods:
- Histological analysis of hair follicles and epidermis in pwk/pwk mice.
- Observation of pigment cell distribution and behavior.
- Assessment of hair follicle repopulation after induced skin wounding.
Main Results:
- Melanoblasts and melanocytes are present in the epidermis of pwk/pwk mice.
- These epidermal pigment cells demonstrate the ability to colonize new hair follicles following skin wounding.
- Despite the presence of colonizable epidermal pigment cells, hair follicles consistently produce hairs of the same color (pigmented or unpigmented) across successive hair growth cycles.
Conclusions:
- The epidermis harbors a population of melanoblasts and melanocytes in pwk/pwk mice with colonization potential.
- Hair follicles, under normal conditions, act as independent functional units regarding their melanocyte population.
- The study reveals a complex interplay between epidermal pigment cells and hair follicle pigmentation, suggesting mechanisms that maintain hair color continuity despite the availability of migratory pigment cells.
