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Interspecies comparison of stellate cell‐containing macula flavae and vitamin A storage in vocal fold mucosa
Author(s) -
Toya Yutaka,
Riabroy Napaporn,
Davis Christopher R.,
Kishimoto Yo,
Tanumihardjo Sherry A.,
Bless Diane M.,
Welham Nathan V.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1111/joa.12211
Subject(s) - vitamin , retinol , retinyl acetate , biology , pathology , hepatic stellate cell , intestinal mucosa , vitamin a deficiency , anatomy , endocrinology , medicine
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.