melanoblast

9.9

A cell in a developing embryo that later becomes a skin cell that makes dark pigment

noun
/ˌmɛləˈnoʊblæst/

Specialized

: melanoblasto

Researchers studied how melanoblasts differentiate into mature melanocytes.

Examples

During embryonic development, melanoblasts migrate to different parts of the skin.
Damage to melanoblast cells can result in disorders of pigmentation.
The melanoblast is crucial for skin pigmentation.
During development, melanoblasts migrate to the skin.
Damage to melanoblast cells can result in disorders of pigmentation.
Researchers studied how melanoblasts differentiate into mature melanocytes.
During embryonic development, melanoblasts migrate to different parts of the skin.

Surface Forms

melanoblast singular

melanoblasts plural

Morphology

melanoblast = blast (semi-transparent) = melano + blast

Formed from the combining form 'melano-' (black) + '-blast' (immature cell); the formation is regular in biomedical vocabulary but both elements are technical and may be unfamiliar to general learners.

Etymology

Melanoblast comes from the parts melano- meaning 'black' (as in melanin) and -blast meaning 'young cell'. So a melanoblast is an early cell in the developing embryo that will make the dark pigment melanin and later become a melanocyte.