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How do melanocytes and keratinocytes work together in the epidermis?

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A pangolin walks through grass with a blue circle around it and the word endangered written in white across the image. — Integument The pangolin is the only mammal in the world covered in scales.

In the epidermis, melanocytes and keratinocytes function together as a structural and functional complex known as an epidermal melanocyte unit.123

Within this unit, a single dendritic melanocyte is associated with a group of neighboring keratinocytes. The melanocytes, which reside among the basal cells of the epidermis, produce melanin pigment granules. Using their long, branching dendrites, melanocytes transfer these pigment granules into the adjacent keratinocytes.132

Once the melanin is transferred, it tends to accumulate above the nucleus of the keratinocyte, forming a protective shroud. This arrangement is essential for skin health, as it helps shield the cells from damaging ultraviolet radiation.12