Melanocytes are neural crest-derived cells that produce melanin via melanogenesis. Melanocytes localize to several tissues including the epidermis, eye, inner ear and leptomeninges. Dysregulation of melanocyte migration, proliferation, or survival during embryonic development thus causes congenital disorders in those tissues as seen in Tietz syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, and piebaldism. In the bottom layer of skin epidermis, melanocytes synthesize and transfer dark-colored melanin to surrounding keratinocytes to give skin pigmentation. Melanin also blocks UV-B light to protect the hypodermis from solar exposure-induced photodamage. Progress in culture techniques, along with an improved understanding of melanocyte biology, has led to a successful culture system to model melanomas, inner ear homeostasis, vitiligo, and mitochondrial dysfunction in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. HEM-a from ScienCell Research Laboratories is isolated from adult human skin. HEM-a are cryopreserved at passage one and delivered frozen. Each vial contains >5 x 105 cells in 1 ml volume. HEM-a are characterized by immunofluorescence with antibodies specific to S100β and/or NGF-receptor (p75). HEM-a are negative for HIV-1, HBV, HCV, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast, and fungi. HEM-a are guaranteed to further expand for 10 population doublings under the conditions provided by ScienCell Research Laboratories. Recommended Medium It is recommended to use Melanocyte Medium (MelM, Cat. #2201) for culturing HEM-a in vitro.