Method for deriving melanocytes from the hair follicle outer root sheath and preparation for grafting

A method for generating melanocytes from outer root sheath cells comprising the steps of:

• (i) removing a bulb of an epilated human hair;
• (ii) incubating the epilated hair of step (i) with collagenase under conditions effective to separate outer root sheath cells from the outer root sheath, wherein the separation of the outer root sheath cells comprises migration of the outer root sheath cells from the outer root sheath, and wherein the outer root sheath cells include stem cells and precursor cells;
• (iii) cultivating the separated outer root sheath cells from step (ii) in a medium comprising one or more growth factors for differentiation into melanotic melanocytes;
• and
• (iv) differentiating the separated outer root sheath cells into melanotic melanocytes by the cultivation of step (iii).