TY - JOUR
T1 - Keratinocytes play a role in regulating distribution patterns of recipient melanosomes in vitro
AU - Minwalla, Ljiljana
AU - Zhao, Yang
AU - Le Poole, I. Caroline
AU - Wickett, R. Randall
AU - Boissy, Raymond E.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Proctor and Gamble Company and the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. We thank Dr. Rangaprasad Sarangarajan and Emma Lou Cardell for helpful discussions.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Melanosomes in keratinocytes of Black skin are larger and distributed individually whereas those within keratinocytes of Caucasian skin are smaller and distributed in clusters. This disparity contributes to differences in skin pigmentation and photoprotection, but the control of these innate distribution patterns is poorly understood. To investigate this process, cocultures were established using melanocytes and keratinocytes derived from different racial backgrounds and were examined by electron microscopy. Melanosomes transferred to keratinocytes were categorized as individual or in various clusters. Melanosome size was also determined for individual and clustered melanosomes. Results indicate that, in our model system, melanosomes in keratinocytes from different racial backgrounds show a combination of clustered and individual melanosomes. When keratinocytes from dark skin were cocultured with melanocytes from (i) dark skin or (ii) light skin, however, recipient melanosomes were individual versus clustered in (i) 77% vs 23% and (ii) 64% vs 36%, respectively. In contrast, when keratinocytes from light skin were cocultured with melanocytes from (iii) dark skin or (iv) light skin, recipient melanosomes were individual versus clustered in (iii) 34% vs 66% and (iv) 39% vs 61%, respectively. These results indicate that recipient melanosomes, regardless of origin, are predominantly distributed individually by kerati-nocytes from dark skin, and in membrane-bound clusters by those from light skin. There were also differences in melanosome size from dark or light donor melanocytes. Melanosome size was not related to whether the melanosomes were distributed individually or clustered, however, in cocultures. These results suggest that regulatory factor(s) within the keratinocyte determine recipient melanosome distribution patterns.
AB - Melanosomes in keratinocytes of Black skin are larger and distributed individually whereas those within keratinocytes of Caucasian skin are smaller and distributed in clusters. This disparity contributes to differences in skin pigmentation and photoprotection, but the control of these innate distribution patterns is poorly understood. To investigate this process, cocultures were established using melanocytes and keratinocytes derived from different racial backgrounds and were examined by electron microscopy. Melanosomes transferred to keratinocytes were categorized as individual or in various clusters. Melanosome size was also determined for individual and clustered melanosomes. Results indicate that, in our model system, melanosomes in keratinocytes from different racial backgrounds show a combination of clustered and individual melanosomes. When keratinocytes from dark skin were cocultured with melanocytes from (i) dark skin or (ii) light skin, however, recipient melanosomes were individual versus clustered in (i) 77% vs 23% and (ii) 64% vs 36%, respectively. In contrast, when keratinocytes from light skin were cocultured with melanocytes from (iii) dark skin or (iv) light skin, recipient melanosomes were individual versus clustered in (iii) 34% vs 66% and (iv) 39% vs 61%, respectively. These results indicate that recipient melanosomes, regardless of origin, are predominantly distributed individually by kerati-nocytes from dark skin, and in membrane-bound clusters by those from light skin. There were also differences in melanosome size from dark or light donor melanocytes. Melanosome size was not related to whether the melanosomes were distributed individually or clustered, however, in cocultures. These results suggest that regulatory factor(s) within the keratinocyte determine recipient melanosome distribution patterns.
KW - Cocultures
KW - Melanocyte
KW - Pigmentation
KW - Skin color
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035723236&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0035723236&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1046/j.0022-202X.2001.01411.x
DO - 10.1046/j.0022-202X.2001.01411.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 11511313
AN - SCOPUS:0035723236
VL - 117
SP - 341
EP - 347
JO - Journal of Investigative Dermatology
JF - Journal of Investigative Dermatology
SN - 0022-202X
IS - 2
ER -