Edited by
VINCENT J. HEARING

2006

THE PROGRESSION TO MALIGNANCY

The normal precursor of malignant melanoma is the melanocyte, a cell of neural crest origin. In their embryological state, neural crest cells are unique in that they dissociate from the notochord on days 10–14 and migrate out, or “metastasize,” to numerous sites of the body as their new “homes.” These cells are known as “argentaffin cells” and include the melanocytes.