Cutaneous melanin pigment plays a critical role in camouflage, mimicry, social
communication, and protection against harmful effects of solar radiation. Melanogenesis is …

Mast cells are found resident in tissues throughout the body, particularly in association with
structures such as blood vessels and nerves, and in proximity to surfaces that interface the …

Stem cell factor (SCF; also known as kit ligand, mast cell ultimate destinations during
development. Hematopoietic cells growth factor, or steel factor) is a hematopoietic cytokine …

Melasma is a common skin pigmentation condition. Given therapeutic difficulty as one of the
biggest concerns, understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of melasma becomes …

Mast cells have been recognized for well over 100 years. With time, human mast cells have
been documented to originate from CD34+ cells, and have been implicated in host …

Both stem cells and mast cells express c-kit and proliferate after exposure to c-kit ligand.
Mutations in c-kit may enhance or interfere with the ability of c-kit receptor to initiate the …

Recently melanogenic paracrine or autocrine cytokine networks have been discovered in
vitro between melanocytes and other types of skin cells. These include endothelin (ET)‐1 …

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the importance of stem cell factor (SCF) and the
stem cell factor receptor (SCFR) in hematopoiesis and other complex developmental …

Mastocytosis Is characterized by accumulations of mast cells in various organs1. Most cases
are indolent and confined to the skin, where discrete mast cell infiltrates are associated with …

Kit is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that binds stem cell factor. This receptor ligand
combination is important for normal hematopoiesis, as well as pigmentation, gut function …