Expression of glial and neuronal marker proteins (S-100, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and neuron-specific enolase) by myxoid cells in the human larynx

Areas of myxoid connective tissue were regularly found in the aryepiglottic and vestibular folds of operative resections (n = 10) or fresh postmortem specimens (n = 5) of the human larynx. Myxoid tissue was often attached to elastic cartilage (epiglottic, arytenoid, and corniculate cartilage) or spatially related to mucosal glands. This was characterized by ramified cells (myxoid cells) in an ample acidic matrix with few strands of collagen fibers. Extracellular matrix showed alcianophilia at pH 2.5 and metachromasia while tissue digestion with hyaluronidase abolished these staining reactions. Immunohistochemistry revealed reactivity of myxoid cells for S-100 alpha and S-100 beta protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and neuron-specific enolase. Elastic cartilage chondrocytes also stained for these markers while fibroblasts remained unstained. Reactivity for identical neuroectodermal marker proteins of myxoid cells and chondrocytes indicated their close relationship. The presence of myxoid tissue in the larynx, as evidenced by stellate cells immunoreactive for neuroectodermal marker proteins, should be considered when using these markers in diagnostic pathology.