Vitamin A-Storing Stellate Cells in the Human Newborn Vocal Fold

Abstract

The VFSCs in the newborn maculae flavae were immature, but had already started the synthesis of extracellular matrices essential for the viscoelastic properties of the vocal fold mucosa.

Histopathologic Investigations of the Unphonated Human Child Vocal Fold Mucosa

“…1,2 VFSCs, which are interstitial cells with a star-like appearance and are dense in the human MFe, were discovered in our previous studies. 3,9,[16][17][18][19] The VFSCs possess lipid droplets and store vitamin A. The VFSCs had many morphological differences with conventional fibroblasts in the vocal fold mucosa and constantly synthesized extracellular matrices that are essential for the viscoelasticity of the human vocal fold mucosa.…”

“…1,2 We also hypothesize that the tension (mechanical force) caused by phonation (vocal fold vibration) after birth stimulates VFSCs to accelerate production of extracellular matrices and form the characteristic layered structure of the human vocal fold mucosa. [3][4][5][6] Mechanical stresses are ever present in the cellular environment, and such forces affect cellular signaling and function. 7,8 However, it remains unclear whether the forms of mechanotransduction in different situation share common mechanisms.…”

Functional Histology of the Macula Flava in the Human Vocal Fold – Part 2: Its Role in the Growth and Development of the Vocal Fold

“…2 a ) [ [18][19][20] The structures of the newborn VFM are immature and differ from those of adults. In newborn VF, the entire lamina propria appears as a uniform structure with no vocal ligament, no Reinke's space or no layered structure [2,[18][19][20] . The lamina propria of the newborn VFM is a loose structure composed of ground substances and sparse fibers.…”

Vocal Fold Stellate Cells in the Human Macula Flava and the Diffuse Stellate Cell System

“…1 These cells possessed lipid droplets and stored vitamin A. [1][2][3][4][5][6] They had many morphological differences from conventional fibroblasts in the human vocal fold (VF), and constantly synthesized extracellular matrices (ECMs) that were essential for the viscoelasticity of the human VF mucosa. [1][2][3][4][5][6] These cells had no nomenclature and were thus designated vocal fold stellate cells (VFSCs) in our series of previous studies.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6] They had many morphological differences from conventional fibroblasts in the human vocal fold (VF), and constantly synthesized extracellular matrices (ECMs) that were essential for the viscoelasticity of the human VF mucosa. [1][2][3][4][5][6] These cells had no nomenclature and were thus designated vocal fold stellate cells (VFSCs) in our series of previous studies. Our past studies inferred that the VFSCs in the human MFs were involved in the metabolism of ECMs, which are essential for the viscoelasticity of the human VF mucosa, [1][2][3][4][5][6] and VFSCs were considered to be important interstitial cells in the growth, development, and aging of the human VF mucosa.…”