Summary
The iris anlage of 2–10 and 15 days old chicken embryos were studied histochemically, and by both light and electron microscopy. Light microscopic serial sections showed that pigmentation began at the outer layer of the posterior eye pole and progressed from there forwards to the optic cup margin. The entire outer layer of the optic cup as well as the pupillary margin were completely pigmented by the 4th day of incubation. By the 10th day the posterior iris epithelium was totally pigmented. Electron microscopical studies showed that the first premelanosomes appeared at about the 3rd day of incubation in the anterior iris anlage with the exception of the pupillary margin. It could be shown that melanogenesis progressed through the following steps: premelanosomes, followed by tyrosinase activity in a Golgi-associated system of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (GERL) and small vesicles and finally differentiation of the melanosomes. The possible origin of the premelanosomes and the formation of melanin are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Birbeck, M. S. C., Barnicot, N. A.: Electron microscope studies on pigment formation in human hair follicles. In: Pigment cell biology, ed. by M. Gordon, p. 549–561. New York: Academic Press 1959
Birbeck, M. S. C., Mercer, E. H., Barnicot, N. A.: The structure and formation of pigment granules in human hair. Exp. Cell Res. 10, 505–514 (1955)
Breathnach, A. S., Wyllie, L. M. A.: Ultrastructure of retinal pigment epithelium of the human fetus. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 16, 584–597 (1966)
Coulombre, A. J.: Correlations of structural and biochemical changes in the developing retina of the chick. Amer. J. Anat. 96, 153–189 (1955)
Dabagian, N. V.: The role of mesenchyme in the development of the pigmented epithelium of the sturgeon eye. Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Biol. 119, 176–180 (1958)
Dalton, A. J.: A chrome-osmium fixative for electronmicroscopy. Anat. Rec. 121, 281 (1955)
Eppig, J. J.: Melanogenesis in amphipians. I. A study of the fine structure of the normal and phenylthiourea-treated pigmented epithelium in Rana pipiens tadpole eyes. Z. Zell-forsch. 103, 238–246 (1970)
Eppig, J. J., Dumont, J. N.: Cytochemical localization of tyrosinase activity in pigmented epithelial cells of Rana pipiens and Xenopus laevis. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 39, 397–410 (1972)
Fitzpatrick, T. B., Kukita, A.: Tyrosinase activity in vertebrate melanocytes. In: Pigment cell biology (ed. by M. Gordon). p. 549–561. New York: Academic Press 1959
Grobstein, C.: Developmental significance of interface materials in epitheliomesenchymal interaction. In: Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions (ed. by R. Fleischmajer and R. E. Billingham). p. 173–176, Baltimore: The Williams & Wilkins Company 1968
Keibel, F.: Die Entwicklung der Sinnesorgane. In: Handbuch der Entwicklungsgeschichte des Menschen (Hrsg. F. Keibel u. F. P. Mall), Bd. 2, S. 179–281. Leipzig: S. Hirzel 1911
Keibel, F., Abraham, K.: Normentafel zur Entwicklungsgeschichte des Huhnes (Gallus domesticus). In: Keibels Normentafeln zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Wirbeltiere, Heft 2. Jena: Fischer 1900
Kessler, L.: Zur Entwicklung des Auges der Wirbeltiere. Leipzig: Vogel 1877
Lange, O.: Einblicke in die embryonale Anatomie und Entwicklung des Menschenauges. Wiesbaden: Bergmann 1908
Lerche, W.: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Differenzierung des Pigmentepithels und der äußeren Körnerzellen (Sinneszellen) im menschlichen Auge. Z. Zellforsch. 58, 953–970 (1963)
Mann, I. C.: The development of the human eye. London: British Medical Association 1949
Maul, G. G.: Golgi-melanosome relationship in human melanoma in vitro. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 88, 163–176 (1969)
Mishima, Y.: Electron microscopic cytochemistry of melanosomes and mitochondria. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 12, 784–790 (1964)
Moyer, F.: Electron microscopic observations on the origin, development, and genetic control of melanin granules in the mouse eye. In: The structure of the eye (ed. G. K. Smelser), p. 469–486, New York-London: Academic Press 1961
Moyer, F.: Genetic variations in the fine structure and ontogeny of mouse melanin granules. Amer. Zoologist 6, 43–66 (1966)
Novikoff, A. B., Albala, A., Biempica, L.: Ultrastructural and cytochemical observations on B-16 and Harding-Passey mouse melanomas. The origin of premelanosomes and compound melanosomes. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 16, 299–319 (1968)
O'Rahilly, R., Meyer, D. B.: The early development of the eye in the chick. Acta anat. (Basel) 36, 20–58 (1959)
Porter, K. R., Yamada, E.: Studies on the endoplasmic reticulum, V. Its form and differentiation in pigment epithelial cells of the frog retina. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 8, 181–205 (1960)
Rawles, M. E.: Origin of melanophores and their role in development of color patterns in vertebrates. Physiol. Rev. 28, 383–408 (1948)
Seiji, M.: Subcellular particles and melanin formation in melanocytes. In: Advances in biology of skin, vol. VIII. The pigmentary system (eds. W. Montagna and F. Hu), p. 189–222. Oxford-London-Edinburgh-New York-Toronto-Sydney-Paris-Braunschweig: Pergamon Press 1967
Spitznas, M.: Morphogenesis and nature of the pigment granules in the adult human retinal pigment epithelium. Z. Zellforsch. 122, 378–388 (1971)
Stanka, P.: Die Dopa-Reaktion, eine brauchbare Methode in der Elketronenmikroskopie. Untersuchung am retinalen Pigmentepithel von Hühnerembryonen. Mikroskopie 26, 169–174(1970)
Stanka, P.: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung über die Prämelanosomenentstehung im retinalen Pigmentepithel von Hühnerembryonen. Z. Zellforsch. 112, 120–128 (1971)
Stanka, P., Kinzel, V., Mohr, U.: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung über die Prämelanosomenentstehung an Melanomzellen in vitro. Virchows Arch. Abt. B 2, 91–102 (1969)
Starck, D.: Herkunft und Entwicklung der Pigmentzellen. In: Handbuch der Haut- und Geschlechtskrankheiten, Ergänzungswerk (Hrsg. J. Jadassohn), S. 139–175. Berlin-Göttingen-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1964
Starck, D.: Embryologie, 2nd. edition. Stuttgart: Thieme-Verlag 1965
Stolk, A.: The role of the Golgi apparatus in the formation of melanin granules in the malignant cutaneous melanoma of killifish hybrids. Naturwissenschaften 47, 448–449 (1960)
Tonosaki, A., Kelly, D. E.: Fine structural study on the origin and development of the sphincter pupillae muscle in the West Coast newt (Taricha torosa). Anat. Rec. 170, 57–74 (1971)
Venable, J. H., Coggeshall, R.: A simplified lead citrate stain for use in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 25, 407–408 (1965)
Wellings, S. R., Siegel, B. V.: Role of Golgi apparatus in the formation of melanin granules in human malignant melanoma. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 3, 147–154 (1959)
Wellings, S. R., Siegel, B. V.: Electron microscopic studies on the subcellular origin and ultrastructure of melanin granules in mammalian melanomas. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 100, 548–568 (1963)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
El-Hifnawi, E., Hinrichsen, K. Melanogenesis in the pigment epithelium of chicken embryos. Anat Embryol 147, 177–187 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306732
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306732