title: Interspecies comparison of stellate cell-containing macula flavae and vitamin A storage in vocal fold mucosa.
abstract: The macula flavae (MF), populated by vitamin A-storing stellate cells (SCs), are believed to play a fundamental role in development, maintenance and repair of the vocal fold (VF) mucosa; however, to date, they have mostly been examined in observational human cadaver studies. Here, we conducted an interspecies comparison of MF and SC phenotype, as well as vitamin A quantification and localization, in human, pig, dog, rabbit and rat VF mucosae. MF containing vitamin A-positive SCs were only identified in human and rat specimens. Pig, dog and rabbit VF mucosae contained no discernable MF, but rather exhibited preferential vitamin A localization to mucous (pig), serous (dog) or mixed (rabbit) glands. This glandular vitamin A storage corresponded to exceedingly high concentrations of retinol in pig and dog mucosae, and retinyl ester in dog mucosa. These findings have significant implications for the presumed role of the MF and SCs in VF biology, the nature of vitamin A storage within the VF mucosa, and the selection of an appropriate animal model for future experimental studies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toya
authors.forename: Napaporn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Riabroy
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Yo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Sherry A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tanumihardjo
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bless
authors.forename: Nathan V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Welham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D004285:Dogs; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007820:Laryngeal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A
keywords: glial fibrillary acidic protein; gold chloride; high-performance liquid chromatography; histology; larynx; macula flava; oil red O; retinol; retinyl ester