Induction of melanogenesis in the epidermal melanoblasts of newborn mouse skin by MSH

Abstract
The number of melanocytes positive to the dopa reaction in the epidermis was shown to increase after newborn mice were injected with α-MSH or DBc-AMP. The agents seemed to induce the initiation of melanogenesis in the pre-existing melanoblasts. Electron-microscopic observation also demonstrated that a-MSH induced not only maturation of melanosomes but also the formation of melanosomes.