Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Pigmentation01:19

Pigmentation

4.7K
The color of the skin is influenced by a number of pigments, including melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. Recall that melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes, which are found scattered throughout the stratum basale of the epidermis. The melanin is transferred to the keratinocytes via melanosomes.
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
4.7K
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions01:12

Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions

6.2K
Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
6.2K
Skin Cancer01:30

Skin Cancer

6.3K
Skin cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when there is an abnormal growth of skin cells, usually triggered by damage to the DNA within the skin cells. It is primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to rise.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
6.3K
Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives01:14

Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives

3.9K
The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
3.9K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

4.2K
MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
4.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Hydrotropism in the primary roots of maize.

The New phytologist·2020
Same author

iDEP: an integrated web application for differential expression and pathway analysis of RNA-Seq data.

BMC bioinformatics·2018
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Melanocytes
09:38

Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Melanocytes

Published on: August 27, 2021

2.5K

Melanocyte loss dominates the vitiligo transcriptome: a rank-based meta-analysis.

Xijin Ge1,2

  • 1Department of Mathematics and Statistics, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA.

Medrxiv : the Preprint Server for Health Sciences
|February 23, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Vitiligo causes melanocyte destruction, leading to a significant loss of melanocyte markers in affected skin. Immune system activation is also observed, but its pattern varies across studies.

Keywords:
depigmentationgene expression profilingmelanocyte markersrobust rank aggregationsingle-cell RNA-seq

More Related Videos

Quantification of Hypopigmentation Activity In Vitro
06:08

Quantification of Hypopigmentation Activity In Vitro

Published on: March 6, 2019

12.0K
Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
12:37

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

Published on: September 7, 2013

18.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Melanocytes
09:38

Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Melanocytes

Published on: August 27, 2021

2.5K
Quantification of Hypopigmentation Activity In Vitro
06:08

Quantification of Hypopigmentation Activity In Vitro

Published on: March 6, 2019

12.0K
Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
12:37

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model

Published on: September 7, 2013

18.8K

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Immunology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder resulting in melanocyte destruction.
  • Understanding the molecular signatures of vitiligo skin is crucial for developing targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify consensus gene expression signatures in vitiligo lesional skin.
  • To characterize the molecular changes associated with melanocyte loss and immune activation in vitiligo.

Main Methods:

  • A rank-based meta-analysis of six independent transcriptomic studies (microarray, bulk, and single-cell RNA-seq).
  • Utilized Robust Rank Aggregation to identify differentially expressed genes.
  • Pathway-level meta-analysis and single-cell data analysis were performed.

Main Results:

  • Identified 114 differentially expressed genes (108 downregulated, 6 upregulated).
  • Downregulated genes were predominantly melanocyte markers, indicating significant melanocyte loss.
  • Upregulated genes included interferon-stimulated genes, suggesting immune activation, which was heterogeneous across datasets.
  • Confirmed melanocyte depletion and identified novel candidate melanocyte markers (CYB561A3, QPCT).

Conclusions:

  • Vitiligo exhibits a robust, platform-independent signature of melanocyte loss.
  • Immune activation in vitiligo is present but shows study-dependent heterogeneity.
  • Findings highlight the neural crest origin of melanocytes and identify potential therapeutic targets.