MITF (Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor) is a basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper (bHLH-Zip) family factor, involved in lineage-specific pathway regulation of many types of cells including osteoclasts, melanocytes, retinal pigment epithelial cells, mast cells and natural killer cells. It plays a critical role in melanogenesis as a transcriptional activator of tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2. Moreover, it regulates specification, survival, and proliferation of normal melanocytes, and controls proliferation, migration and invasion of melanoma cells. MITF is the most characterized member of the MIT family, mutations of which can lead to diseases such as Melanoma, Waardenburg syndrome, and Tietz syndrome.