Stimulatory effect of prostaglandin E2 on the configuration of normal human melanocytes in vitro.

Normal human epidermal melanocytes became swollen and more dendritic when they were cultured for 6 days with prostaglandin (PG) E2, but not with PGE1, although the amount of immunoreactive tyrosinase in the melanocytes did not appear to be increased markedly after these treatments. From these data we suggest that PGE2 may be one of the factors responsible for the induction of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation of the skin.