Telocytes（TCs）是新鉴定的一种间质细胞，广泛分布于哺乳动物器官中，但禽类皮肤中是否有TCs未见报道。TCs的主要作用体现在组织再生中，然而TCs是否还有其他生理功能，仍然需要进一步的探索。此外，调控黑素母细胞迁移的细胞型和分子机理仍未完全阐明。本项目根据先前的研究结果，推测TCs可能存在于乌骨鸡胚胎皮肤中，基于TCs极其细长的telopodes（Tps）的特殊结构和免疫表型，提出在SCF/c-Kit信号系统参与下，TCs通过其极长的Tps引导黑素母细胞长途定向迁移的假设，并通过不同的研究方法，例如免疫组化、原位杂交、透射电镜和活细胞动态观察等，验证我们的假设。本项目将有助于阐明黑素细胞定位的分子细胞学机理，为黑素相关疾病的发生机理研究和治疗提供借鉴。

Telocytes (TCs) are a novel interstitial cell and widely exist in various organs of mammals. However, TCs of birds skin are not identified. TCs are suggested to play a critical role in tissue regeneration. Whether TCs has other physiological functions? It still needs further research. Furthermore, cell types and complete molecular mechanisms controlling melanoblasts migration remain largely unknown. In the present project, we put forward the hypothesis that TCs were present in skin of silky fowl embryo. In addition, TCs leaded the melanoblasts to migrate by their long Tps and the SCF/c-Kit signaling system. We will employ various methods, such as immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, transmission electron microscopy and living cell dynamic monitoring, to confirm our hypothesis. This project will contribute to disclose molecular and cytologic mechanism of melanoblast localization, and to offer references for researches and therapy of melanocyte/melanin related diseases.