Figure 3. CT and PMA induce dendrite formation, TRP-1 protein and c-Kit mRNA and protein expressions in dedifferentiated melanocytes.

Cultured, 7^th passage melanocytes showed a uniform, bipolar morphology in Mel-mix medium (A), while treatment of melanocytes with CT and PMA induced dendrite formation (B). CT+PMA induced both TRP-1 (D) and c-Kit (F) protein expressions in melanocytes compared to untreated cultures (C and E) as demonstrated by immunocytochemistry. Bar: 100 µm. At the mRNA level, CT and PMA caused a 2-fold increase in TRP-1 (G) and 4-fold increase in c-Kit (H) expressions compared to untreated controls. Values are shown as relative expressions compared to 3^rd passage Mel-mix cultured cells (mean±SD from three independent experiments; *significant at p≤0.05, Univariate ANOVA).