Diagram illustrating role(s) of MITF and TBX2 and other factors in pathways regulating melanocyte proliferation. MITF worked as a transcriptional activator to regulate target genes involved in melanocyte proliferation. During melanocyte proliferation, MITF activated Tbx2 and Tbx2 in turn stimulated Ccnd1 to promote cell proliferation. MITF also directly activated p21 and so inhibited cell proliferation. In addition, MITF can act through CDK2 to promote malignant melanoma proliferation. Hence, MITF‐TBX2‐Cyclin D1, MITF‐p21, and MITF‐CDK2 are regulatory pathways that act in parallel and may balance pro‐ and anti‐proliferative mechanisms in melanocytes and/or malignant melanoma cells. Data for this model are based on the findings from references 16, 24, 48, 49, 50 and this study.