Paraganglia of the human recurrent laryngeal nerve.
Recurrent laryngeal nerves (RLNs) from human autopsy material were collected and prepared for light microscopy. Within five of eight investigated RLNs, paraganglia-like organs were found, the mean cross-sectional area of which was estimated to be 0.03 mm2. These organs were composed of cells resembling the type I and type II cells of the carotid body. The possible function of laryngeal nerve paraganglia is discussed.
D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007823:Laryngeal Nerves / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D010234:Paraganglia, Nonchromaffin / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology