Pigment Flashcards
In which tissues are melanocytes found?
Skin, oral mucosa, eye, leptomeninges, and ear
Melanoblasts come from which embryonic structure?
Neural crest
A mutation in which gene commonly causes piebaldism on the forehead, chest, abdomen and limbs in both people and animals?
KIT
A mutation of which gene is associated with white belting in cattle?
TWIST2
Interactions between KIT/KIT ligand (SCF) on which cells controls migration of activated melanocytes from the stem cell pool to the anagen hair bulb to pigment each new hair shaft?
Melanocytes (KIT) and keratinocytes (KIT ligand/SCF)
Grey horses have a mutation in which gene?
STX17
What percentage of grey horses develop melanomas by 15 years old?
70-80%
What colours are eumelanin and pheomelanin?
Black-brown and yellow-red
What are the four stages of melanosome formation?
- establishes the organelle vesicular structure
- adds internal protein fibrils (premelanosome protein 17 (PMEL), also called Silver (SILV)) that hold melanin and give the ellipsoid melanosome shape
- melanosomes, melanin deposits along, and thickens, luminal fibrils, which are still visible ultrastructurally
- melanin deposition obscures fibrils completely
What signs occur with grey collie syndrome?
Cyclical neutropaenia, thrombocytopaenia, anaemia
Dilute skin and hair colour
Grey/pale tan nasal planum
Recurrent infections
What causes colour dilution in grey collie syndrome?
Dilution is due to decreased melanisation of melanosomes due to failure of complete delivery of melanin synthesis enzymes to the melanosome.
Chediak-Higashi syndrome has been reported in which breed of cats?
Persians
Chediak-Higashi syndrome has been reported in which breeds of cattle?
Hereford, Brangus and Japanese Black
Mutations in which gene cause merle coat colours?
SILV (silver protein; premelanosome protein 17)
Leopard spotting complex in many horse breeds is associated with a mutation in TRPM1; what other clinical sign accompanies it?
Congenital stationary night blindness
Leopard spotting patterns in horses are associated with TRPM1 and which other gene mutations?
RFWD3 at the PATN1 locus that extends areas of white in the pattern
An essential cofactor for tyrosinase, dietary deficiency of which mineral leads to greying of the coat?
Copper
Define poliosis
Premature greying of hair
Define achromotrichia
Loss or absence of hair pigment
Where on the body are lentignes typically seen in dogs?
Ventrum
Where on the body are lentignes typically seen in cats?
Lips, nose, gingivae and eyelids
What mechanism leads to dark points in colour point cats?
Temperature sensitive hair bulb tyrosinase that is inactivated at 35-37^C
Which breeds of dog are prone to post-inflammatory melanotrichia?
Yorkies, Silkies, Bedlingtons, OES and Poodles
Are melanocytes present in albinism?
Yes, melanocytes are present but a mutation in the tyrosinase gene leads to a lack of tyorsinase needed for melanin synthesis
What is the phenotype of Waardenburg-Klein syndrome?
Amelanotic skin and hair, deafness and blue or heterochromic irides
In dogs, one melanocyte makes contact with approximately how many keratinocytes?
20-36