MITF and melanoma: Phenotype switching in melanoma is regulated by key transcriptional factors, e.g., the melanoma transcriptional master regulator microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf)38,39 and the nerve growth factor receptor CD271 (Ngfr)40, the latter promoting an invasive and metastatic cell behavior accompanied by upregulation of neural crest stem cell genes32,34,35,39.