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Melanocytes MeSH Descriptor Data 2026


MeSH Heading
Melanocytes
Tree Number(s)
A11.409.750
A11.436.613
Unique ID
D008544
RDF Unique Identifier
http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D008544
Annotation
do not confuse with MELANOPHORES
Scope Note
Mammalian pigment cells that produce MELANINS, pigments found mainly in the EPIDERMIS, but also in the eyes and the hair, by a process called melanogenesis. Coloration can be altered by the number of melanocytes or the amount of pigment produced and stored in the organelles called MELANOSOMES. The large non-mammalian melanin-containing cells are called MELANOPHORES.
NLM Classification #
QS 532.5.E7
Previous Indexing
Chromatophores (1966-1968)
Public MeSH Note
72
History Note
72(69)
Date Introduced
1972/01/01
Last Updated
2018/06/30
Melanocytes Preferred
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