Developmental changes of the proliferative response of mouse epidermal melanocytes to skin wounding

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Abstract
A cut was made on the middorsal skin of mice of various ages of strain C57BL/10J using fine iridectomy scissors. Specimens from the wounded skins were fixed at various days after wounding and were subjected to the dopa reaction and to the combined dopa-premelanin reaction. When the dorsal skins of 1·5-day-old mice were wounded, the melanocyte population positive to the dopa reaction as well as the melanoblast-melanocyte population positive to the combined dopa-premelanin reaction increased dramatically in the epidermis adjacent to a skin wound. Pigment-producing melanocytes in mitosis were frequently found in the vicinity of a wound immediately after wounding. When the dorsal skins of 4·5-day-old mice were wounded, the increase in the melanocyte and melanoblast-melanocyte populations was smaller than that of 1·5-day-old mice. The increase in number of pigment-producing melanocytes in mitosis was reduced and delayed as compared to 1·5-day-old mice. When the dorsal skins of 8·5-, 20·5-, and 60·5-day-old mice were wounded, the increase in the melanocyte and melanoblast-melanocyte populations was much smaller than the newborn mice. Moreover, pigmentproducing melanocytes in mitosis were never found. These results indicate that the proliferative response of mouse epidermal melanocytes to skin wounding becomes delayed and diminished with development.

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