Dendritic pigmented cells within human laryngeal mucosa.

Melanocytes were seen within the basal layer of the laryngeal squamous epithelium in a biopsy specimen of the vocal cord. No dendritic pigmented cells were visualized in several sections of the entire mucosa of 15 autopsy specimens of the larynx, but clear, Langerhans-like cells were seen, suggesting that melanocytes in this location may possibly become effete. This may account for the infrequent occurrence of primary malignant melanotic lesions of the larynx.