HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

Melanization stimulating factors in the integument of the Mugil cephalus and Dicertranchus labrax

A. Zuasti1, J.H. Martínez-Liarte2, F. Solano2 and C. Ferrer1

Departments of 1Cell Biology and 2Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain

Offprint requests to: Adelina Zuasti, Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia. Spain. e-mail: adelinaz@um.es

 

Summary. The pigment pattern expression resides in the chromatoblasts of the embryonic skin. The differentiation of these chromatoblasts is influenced by specific local factors such a melanization inhibiting factor (MIF) and a melanization-stimulating factor (MSF). We reveal the presence of these factors by means of a series of experiments on the skin of the marine species of fish Dicertranchus labrax and Mugil cephalus, each with different pigment pattern, the former having a light skin and the latter a darker one. Media conditioned by exposure to dorsal and/or ventral skin, stimulates the melanization of Xenopus laevis neural crest cells throughout a 3 day assay period. Similarly conditioned culture media tested on B16-F10 murine malignant melanocytes, revealed a considerable influence in enzymatic activities: dopachrome tautomerase (DCT), tyrosine hydroxylase and dopa oxidase. The use of media in a dose response basis suggests that the conditioned media may contain both melanophore stimulating and inhibiting factors. The results obtained may actually reflect the resultant activity of the two factors present. Histol. Histopathol. 15, 1145-1150 (2000)

Key words: Melanogenesis, Stimulating-factors, Enzyme-activity, Teleosts


DOI: 10.14670/HH-15.1145