Effect of Biotin Deficiency on Follicular Melanocytes of Mice

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Abstract
Yellow (Ay) and black (C57BL) mice, 16 days of age, were weaned to a diet known to cause biotin deficiency. Both strains of mice responded similarly to the experimental diet. The first hair generation, completed approximately two days post-weaning, was normal in pigmentation. However, the hairs of the second hair generation showed a marked reduction in pigment content. Histologically, the greyed hair follicles resembled the hair follicles of albino mice. The depigmented follicular melanocytes of the biotin deficient mice contained a large hyalinated and chromophobic cytoplasm as did the follicular clear cells or [image]pigment-less[image] melanocytes of the albino. Unlike clear cells, however, the depigmented malanocytes reacted positively to tests for the presence of dopa oxidase.