OBJECTIVE: To construct a tissue engineering skin containing melanocytes by employing tissue engineering method. METHODS: The keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts and melanocytes were isolated and purified. Then the cells were used to construct a tissue engineering skin containing melanocytes. The location of melanocytes in the tissue engineering skin were detected by Dopa staining, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and S-100 immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Melanocytes can be detected in the basal layer of the constructed tissue engineering skin. The results of TEM showed that the melanocytes were in good conditions. CONCLUSION: The artificial skin containing melanocytes was successfully constructed in vitro and can be used to repair the full-thickness skin defects.