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Updated: May 10, 2026

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells
Published on: June 7, 2019
Links between Schwann cells and melanocytes in development and disease
Catherine D Van Raamsdonk1, Mugdha Deo
1Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. cvr@mail.ubc.ca
Abstract:
Melanocytes are pigment-producing cells that reside in the skin, eyes, ears, heart, and central nervous system meninges of mammals. Schwann cells are glial cells, which closely associate with peripheral nerves, myelinating, and sheathing them. Melanocytes and Schwann cells both arise from the neural crest during development, and some melanocytes arise directly from Schwann cell precursors lining developing spinal nerves. In this review, we explore the connections between melanocytes and Schwann cells in development and transformation.
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