To aid in the investigation of factors that control the proliferation and function of melanocytes, we have characterized a skin equivalent model that supports melanocyte growth and function in vitro and in vivo. Passenger melanocytes survive and proliferate at low numbers when keratinocytes of the epidermis are cultured in serum-containing medium using a fibroblast feeder layer. When the surface of de-epidermalized acellular dermis was seeded with these cultured cells, the keratinocytes formed

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... stratified epithelium in vitro containing rete ridges, and the melanocytes were preferentially located in the bottom of these rete ridges. Melanocyte cell number was much less than in normal skin, but in some areas the melanocytes were in clusters, consistent with clonal growth of the cells. When transplanted to athymic mice, the grafts formed foci of pigmentation at