Establishing a new animal model for the study of laryngeal biology and disease: an anatomic study of the mouse larynx.
OBJECTIVE
Animal models have contributed greatly to the study of voice, permitting the examination of laryngeal biology and the testing of surgical, medical, and behavioral interventions. Various models have been used. However, until recently, the mouse (Mus musculus) has not been used in laryngeal research, and features of the mouse larynx have not been defined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to qualitatively describe mouse laryngeal anatomy in relation to known human anatomy.


METHODS
Larynges of 7 C57BL mice were examined and photographed under stereotactic and light microscopy.


RESULTS
The authors found that mouse laryngeal organization was similar to that of humans. The hyoid bone and epiglottal, thyroid, cricoid, and arytenoid cartilages were identified. An additional cartilage was present ventrally. Thyroarytenoid, posterior cricoarytenoid, lateral cricoarytenoid, and cricothyroid muscles were grossly positioned as in humans. Interarytenoid muscles were not present; however, a functional counterpart was identified.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors provide an initial description of mouse laryngeal anatomy. Because of its amenability to genetic engineering, the mouse is the premiere model for the study of disease and the testing of interventions. Introduction of the mouse model for laryngeal study offers a tool for the study of normal laryngeal cell biology and tissue response to disease processes.
Thomas
Lisa B
LB
Department of Communication Disorders, Marshall University, 1 John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25755, USA. thomasl@marshall.edu
Stemple
Joseph C
JC
Andreatta
Richard D
RD
Andrade
Francisco H
FH
D000818:Animals; D001193:Arytenoid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006928:Hyoid Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases; D007830:Larynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D023421:Models, Animal; D009333:Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009929:Organ Size; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology