Mouse skin melanocytes originate from the neural crest and subsequently invade the
epidermis and migrate into the hair follicles (HF) where they proliferate and differentiate.
Here we demonstrate a role for the chemokine SDF-1/CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 in
regulating the migration and positioning of melanoblasts during HF formation and cycling.
CXCR4 expression by melanoblasts was upregulated during the anagen phase of the HF
cycle. CXCR4-expressing cells in the HF also expressed the stem cell markers nestin and …