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Spread of Pigment in Sheep Skin Autografts

Nature volume 170, pages 849–850 (1952)Cite this article

Abstract

SEVERAL theories have been advanced to explain the spreading of melanin pigmentation in mammalian skin during post-natal life1. Billingham and Medawar2 found support for their theory of ‘infective’ cellular transformation from skin grafting experiments with guinea pigs. It is well known that if black skin from an adult guinea pig is grafted on to a white area on the same animal, melanin pigment appears in the white skin surrounding the graft, though not in the hairs. A similar phenomenon was recently observed with grafts of cattle skin3. The spreading of pigment to surrounding hairs instead of to epidermis has been reported in homografts to new-born mice4 and in autografts to new-born black hooded rats1; but, so far as we are aware, it has not been observed in the healthy skin of more mature mice or rats, nor in any species other than the above.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Division of Animal Health and Production, Sydney

    MARGARET H. HARDY, A. S. FRASER & B. F. SHORT

  2. C.S.I.R.O. Section of Animal Genetics, University of Sydney,

    MARGARET H. HARDY, A. S. FRASER & B. F. SHORT

Authors
  1. MARGARET H. HARDY
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  2. A. S. FRASER
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  3. B. F. SHORT
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HARDY, M., FRASER, A. & SHORT, B. Spread of Pigment in Sheep Skin Autografts. Nature 170, 849–850 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1038/170849b0

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