ELECTRON AND IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE MICROSCOP IC INVESTIGATION OF THE BASEMENT LAMINA IN DISEASES OF THE TRUE VOCAL CORDS

The basement lamina of the epithelium of the true vocal cords of 34 in patients suffering from chronic laryngitis, Reinke's oedema and squamo us cell carcinoma have been investigated with the electron and immunof luorescence microscope. In chronic laryngitis, the lamina fibroreticul aris is thickened (due to collagen type VII), corresponding to the cli nical finding. In this layer mobile cells of the connective tissue can be found. In cases of Reinke's oedema it is the lamina densa which mi ght be thickened. In this disease, also lamina densa-like material can protrude into the lamina fibroreticularis, and the number of anchorin g filaments is increased. In squamous cell carcinoma we found the base ment lamina irregularly arranged and folded. The lamina densa was alwa ys interrupted by numerous small gaps and in some areas the basement m embrane could not be identified over a long distance. Lamina densa-lik e material was also found between the tumour cells within the epitheli um. With the immunofluorescence microscope this material was proven as laminin, collagen type IV and heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Our inves tigation shows that malignant as well as benign lesions of the true vo cal cords are characterized by distinct fine structural findings even concerning the basement lamina.