Melanocyte Progenitor Cells Reside in Human Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue

    August 2021 in “ PLoS ONE ”
    Yuri Ikeda, A Wada, Toshio Hasegawa, Mutsumi Yokota, Masato Koike, Shigaku Ikeda
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    TLDR Melanocyte progenitor cells are found in human fat tissue and can become mature melanocytes, which may help treat skin issues.
    The study demonstrated that melanocyte progenitor cells were present in human subcutaneous adipose tissue. Researchers found that undifferentiated adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) expressed melanocytic markers such as HMB45 and MITF, with increased expression during differentiation in melanocyte-specific culture medium. Additional markers like Melan A, MATP, and tyrosinase were also detected. In a 3D epidermal culture system, differentiated ADSCs localized in the basal layer and expressed tyrosinase and HMB45, with melanin deposits induced by UVB irradiation. These findings suggested that these progenitor cells could potentially differentiate into mature melanocytes, offering future applications in treating skin diseases and skin rejuvenation.
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