part of cell differentiation developmental pigmentation pigment cell differentiation chromatophore differentiation GO:0043357 GO:0043358 pigmented cell differentiation biological_process GO:0050931 Note that the chromatophore mentioned here is distinct from the pigment bearing structure found in certain photosynthetic bacteria and cyanobacteria. It is also different from the plant chromoplast, which is also sometimes called a chromatophore. The process in which a relatively unspecialized cell acquires the specialized features of a pigmented cell, such as a melanocyte.