Vitamin A-storing stellate cells in the human vocal fold.
OBJECTIVE
Previously, we discovered cells with a star-like appearance that constantly synthesized extracellular matrices in the human adult vocal fold mucosa. These cells had no nomenclature and were thus designated "vocal fold stellate cells (VFSC)". The aim of the present study was to detect vitamin A (retinol) in the VFSC.


METHODS
Five normal human adult vocal folds obtained from surgical specimens were used. Light microscopy using the gold chloride method and fluorescence microscopy were used to detect vitamin A.


RESULTS
VFSC distributed in the maculae flavae of human adult vocal folds possessed lipid droplets and stored vitamin A.


CONCLUSIONS
It is generally accepted that vitamin A, an essential liposoluble vitamin, is used as a morphogen that controls the differentiation and morphogenesis of cells. In our previous investigation and in this study VFSC were found to differ morphologically from conventional fibroblasts. VFSC represent morphologically a new category of cells in the human vocal fold.
Sato
Kiminori
K
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
Hirano
Minoru
M
Nakashima
Tadashi
T
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000473:pathology; D007820:Laryngeal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000469:parasitology*
D014801:Vitamin A