Fig. 1

Embryonic development of melanocytes (A) Schematic and cross-sectional representation of the neural crest subpopulations in a mouse embryo (E10.5). Neural crest cells present in the MSA migrate primarily along the dorso-lateral pathway where they differentiate to become melanoblasts and ultimately mature melanocytes. (B) DCT labeling of melanoblasts and melanocytes in the murine embryo during development (E11.5 to E16.5; modified from [26]). Until E13.5, DCT positive cells (in blue: Dct-lacZ) are primarily localized dorsally, before colonizing to the ventral axis. The presence of melanoblasts in hair follicles can be seen at E15.5-E16.5. Scale bars: 0.8 mm (E12.5), 1.6 mm (E14.5) and 3.2 mm (E16.5). (C) Progression of melanocyte lineage during murine embryonic development from stages E.8.5 to E14.5. Melanocytes are derived from the cranial and trunk neural crest populations. Neural crest cells present in the MSA migrate along the dorso-lateral pathway (E8.5-E9.5) where they differentiate into melanocytes (E14.5). In parallel, once the dorso-lateral pathway is fully developed (E12.5), SCPs will migrate along the ventro-lateral pathway where they differentiate into McSCs (E14.5) that will later become melanocytes