Surface antigens of melanocytes and melanomas. Markers of melanocyte differentiation and melanoma subsets.

Abstract
The surface antigens of melanocytes from [human] newborn and adult skin were analyzed with monoclonal antibodies detecting cell surface antigens of malignant melanoma. Antigenic markers that distinguish early, intermediate and mature stages in melanocyte differentiation were defined. The characteristics of the normal melanocyte precursor were inferred from the features of melanomas that express early markers of melanocyte differentiation. A rudimentary surface antigen map of cells undergoing melanocyte differentiation and a new classification of melanomas based on the expression of melanocyte differentiation are proposed.