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Ismayilov, A.
Influence of visible light on angiogenic features of melanocytes in CAM assay
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Medizinische Universität Graz; 2021. pp. 57 [OPEN ACCESS]
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Authors Med Uni Graz:
Advisor:: Ghaffari Tabrizi-Wizsy Nassim; Schwab Christoph
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Abstract:: Melanocytes produce the pigment melanin, which has an important protective function against harmful UV rays, especially in the skin and in the iris. Since melanocytes are also found in tissues that are not exposed to light (e.g. the inner ear or the choroid of the eye), it is suggested that these cells also have other functions. A lack of these cells in the inner ear leads to deafness, a lack in the choroid of the eye to microphthalmos. However, the exact relationship between melanocytes and these pathologies is not yet clear. We suggest in this work that melanocytes induce angiogenesis which is important for organ development. It is precisely this function that is to be experimentally elucidated in this work. The aim of this study is to define the extent of rightfulness of the hypothesis which states that melanocytes have angiogenic potential independent of light. It can be achieved through further exploration of the relationship between melanocytes and angiogenesis. Primary melanocytes are isolated from the human foreskin and cultured on Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM). On chicken CAM, melanocytes are incubated ex-ovo with and without light for 4 days. The tissue produced on CAM is histologically sectioned, stained and microscopically evaluated. It is a proven fact that melanocytes strongly participate in angiogenesis. Yet, results of the experiments revealed that melanocytes grown on the CAM induce angiogenesis which are independent from the light. The CAM model will be useful for further experiments and will lead to a better understanding of melanocytic functions. Furthermore, this model can be used to investigate melanocyte-related diseases (e.g., Mb. Waardenburg).