The distribution of melanocytes and the degradation of melanosomes in fetal hair follicles.

•Microscopic analysis revealed the distribution of melanocytes in fetal hair follicles (HFs).•Melanocyte morphology and melanosome degradation in fetal HFs were characterized.•Melanocytes in different regions of fetal HFs differ in morphology and differentiation.•Fetal HF melanocytes occasionally contained autophagosomes.•Melanosomes were degraded into particles in phagolysosomes of cortical keratinocytes.