Notch signaling in hereditary pigmentary disorders

Pigmentary disorders, a class of common diseases in dermatology caused by abnormalities in melanocyte function or count, severely affects skin appearance of patients. Recently, a series of reports have suggested that hereditary pigmentary disorders are associated with the abnormality in or loss of function of the highly conserved Notch signaling pathway, which is important for the regulation of cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. However, how the Notch signaling pathway causes aberrant pigmentation remains unclear. This article reviews advances in the Notch signaling pathway in hereditary pigmentary disorders, which may provide new insights into the roles of genetic factors in melanocyte development and function. Key words: Skin diseases, genetic; Pigmentation disorders; Melanocytes; Heredity; Notch signaling pathway