GENETIC ANALYSIS OF A FACTOR REGULATING MELANOGENESIS IN THE MOUSE MELANOCYTE

Abstract

In the mouse, melanoblasts positive to the dopa-oxidase reaction were observed in the basal layer of the epidermis at neo-natal stages, though they were not detected in the epidermis of adult mice. There was a significant difference in the number of the dopa-positive melanoblasts per unit area of the epidermis at the neo-natal stages between 2 strains examined, C3H/HeNSa and C57BL/6. The F1 from the reciprocal crosses between 2 strains exhibited an intermediate value in both the number of dopa-positive cells and the enzyme activity of the cells. The F2 showed a considerably wider distribution in the number of dopa-positive cells. An inhibitory factor of the dopa-oxidase activity maybe controlled by more than 2 loci.