The study was performed to get the basic knowledge about the changes of the cyclic AMP concentration and protein contents in cultured human melanocyte during 7 weeks of cultivation.

The results are as follows :

1) The concentrations of cyclic AMP were linearly increased from the 1st week to the 3rd week up to 8.l0×10^-5 pmoles/cell and 0.85 pmoles/mg of protein, which were found to be 2.88-fold and 1.73-fold larger than the those of the 1st week's cultivation. The concentrations of cyclic AMP then gradually decreased from the 3rd week to the 7th week of the cultured-lifespan.

2) The biosynthetic amount of protein was found to be 1.74×10^-5mg/cell on the 1st weekand 9.51×10^-5mg/cell on the 3rd week of cultivation. Values were gradually declined from the 3rd week to the 7th week of cultivation.

In the present investigation, it is clear that the amount of protein content and the concentration of cyclic AMP in the cultured human melanocytes derived form the epidermis of human skin were vividly increased up to the 3rd week of cultivation.

Thus, it might be suspected that the suitable time for the successful transplantation of cultured human melanocytes is around the 3rd week of cultivation.

LMDF is an asymptomatic papular eruption affecting the central area of the face, which runs a chronic course and involutes spontaneously with scarring. Histopathologically, the papules usually show scattered masses of tuberculoid granuloma composed of epithelioid cells, giant cells, and an encircling rim of small round mononuclear cells in the dermis. The etiology and pathogenesis of this condition are still unknown. Consequently, the treatment of LMDF has not been satisfactory despite the use of various drugs such as antituberculous drugs, steroids, tetracycline. Dapsone and isotretinoin have been reported to be effective in some cases.

Three cases of LMDF are presented with efficacy of isotretinoin. Red-brown papules of the face developed and improved by isotretinoin in a 33-year-old man(case 1), and a 28-year-old man(case 2). But the lesions of the face persisted in 55-year-old man(case 3).

No abstract available in English.