Larval melanocyte regeneration following laser ablation in zebrafish.

A method to specifically ablate melanocytes in a genetically tractable organism would facilitate the analysis of melanocyte regeneration and regulation. We have demonstrated that a Q-switched neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet dermatology laser kills larval melanocytes in zebrafish. Following melanocyte ablation, new melanocytes regenerate from unpigmented precursors. We show that melanocyte regeneration following laser ablation requires kit receptor tyrosine kinase.