The other key novel findings from this study are the significant upregulation of the transcription factor PAX3 in conjunctival melanoma tissues compared to healthy conjunctival tissue and the co-upregulation of PAX3 with melanocyte markers such as Melan-A, human melanoma black (HMB45), SOX10 and the proliferation marker Ki-67 in the melanoma cells. This evidence concerns the gene PMEL and melanoma.