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Updated: Dec 4, 2025

Feeder-free Derivation of Melanocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: March 3, 2016
Mechanisms of melanocyte polarity and differentiation: What can we learn from other neuroectoderm-derived lineages?
Mengnan Li1, Sina K Knapp2, Sandra Iden3
1Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Saarland University, Faculty of Medicine, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
Abstract:
Melanocytes are neuroectoderm-derived pigment-producing cells with highly polarized dendritic morphology. They protect the skin against ultraviolet radiation by providing melanin to neighbouring keratinocytes. However, the mechanisms underlying melanocyte polarization and its relevance for diseases remain mostly elusive. Numerous studies have instead revealed roles for polarity regulators in other neuroectoderm-derived lineages including different neuronal cell types. Considering the shared ontogeny and morphological similarities, these lineages may be used as reference models for the exploration of melanocyte polarity, for example, regarding dendrite formation, spine morphogenesis and polarized organelle transport. In this review, we summarize and compare the latest progress in understanding polarity regulation in neuronal cells and melanocytes and project key open questions for future work.
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