In the human skin, melanocytes are present in the epidermis and hair follicles. The basic features of these cells are the ability to melanin production and the origin of neural crest cells. This last element is important because there are other cells able to produce melanin but of different embryonic origin (pigmented epithelium of retina, some neurons, adipocytes). The life cycle of melanocyte consists of several steps including differentiation of melanocyte lineage/s from the neural crest, migration, and proliferation of melanoblasts, differentiation of melanoblasts into melanocytes, proliferation, and maturation of melanocytes at the target places (the activity of melanogenic enzymes, melanosome formation, and transport to keratinocytes) and eventual cell death (hair melanocytes). Melanocytes of the epidermis and hair are cells sharing some common features but in general, they form biologically different populations living in unique niches of the skin. Melanocytes form a heterogeneous group of cells in the human body. Although all of them have the ability to produce melanin and originate from embryonic cells named neural crest cells (NCC), their particular functions in all target places are much wider than the melanin synthesis only. In the human body melanocytes’ presence does not confirm only epidermis, hair, and iris where they give a color of these structures. Melanocytes have been also found in the inner ear, nervous system, heart and probably it is not the end of a list where these cells exist. It is necessary to stress that not only melanocytes have the ability to produce melanin but also other cells e.g. cells of pigmented epithelium of retina, epithelia of iris, and ciliary body of the eye, some neurons, adipocytes.