Melanocyte lineage

Schreurs, M.W., de Boer, A.J., Figdor, C.G. and Adema, G.J. (1998) Genetic vaccination against the melanocyte lineage-specific antigen gplOO induces cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated tumor protection. Cancer Res., 58, 2509-2514. 

Brouwenstijn N, Slager EH, Bakker AB, et al. Transcription of the gene encoding melanoma-associated antigen gplO tissues and cell lines other than those of the melanocytic lineage. Br J Cancer. 1997 76 1562-1566. 

Adema GJ, deBoer AJ, Vogel AM, et al. Molecular characterization of the melanocyte lineage-specific antigen gplOO. J Biol Chem. 1994 269 20126-20133. 

Adema GJ, deBoer AJ, VantHullenaar R, et al. Melanocyte lineage-specific antigens recognized by monoclonal antibodies NKI-beteb, HMB-50, and HMB-45 are encoded by a single cDNA. Am J Pathol. 1993 143 1579-1585. 

In the development of the Schwann cell lineage, also, FGF-2 may play an important role. A number of studies (Stocker et al., 1991 Sherman et al., 1993 Eckenstein et al., 1994) have shown that FGF-2 induces neural crest cells (progenitors to Schwann and other cells) to differentiate into melanocytes. Mature Schwann cells respond to FGF-2 by proliferating (Davis and Stroobant, 1990 Peulve et al., 1994). Together, these observations show that, at least in vitro, FGF-2 can influence the differentiation of various glial cell types by acting either as a maturation factor (astrocytes) or as a dedifferentiation/ proliferation factor (oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells). 

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