The Regulation of Skin Pigmentation

Visible pigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes depends primarily on the functions of melanocytes, a very minor population of cells that specialize in the synthesis and distribution of the pigmented biopolymer melanin. Melanocytes are derived from precursor cells (called melanoblasts) during embryological development, and melanoblasts destined for the skin originate from the neural crest. The accurate migration, distribution, and functioning of melanoblasts/melanocytes determine the visible phenotype of organisms ranging from simple fungi to the most complex animal species.