Studies on the melanosome-phagocytic activity of Human Dermal Fibroblast (HDF)

There are many types of hyperpigmentation disorders caused by disregulation of skin pigmentation. Some common types of the diseases, including senile lentigo and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, show abnormal melanin pigmentation in both epidermis and dermis. In the dermal pigmentation, macrophage-like cells, called melanophages, are believed to internalize melanosomes dropped down from the epidermis to the dermis. Since little attention has been given to the origin of the melanophages, the contribution of dermal fibroblasts to the dermal pigmentation has scarcely discussed except a few case report studies.