ABSTRACT

The vitiligo mutation was first reported by Dr. E. Russell at the Jackson Laboratory as a spontaneous recessive mutation in the inbred C57BL/6J strain. Boissy et al. demonstrated the presence of extracellular granular material in amelanotic hair follicles, similar to that found in human vitiligo. Cultured melanocytes from mi/mi mice, similar to cells cultured from some human vitiligo patients, express premature death, aberrant morphology, and extensive dilation of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Both mi/mi and mi + melanocytes are defective in their ability to proliferate in culture. Cultured melanocytes from mivit/mivit mice, similar to cells cultured from some human vitiligo patients, express premature death, aberrant morphology, and extensive dilation of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Macrophages (clump cells of Kogani) and abnormal melanocytes are found throughout the uveal tract. A small colony of C57BL/6J mi/mi mice is also maintained by Dr. T. Roderick at the Jackson Laboratory.