Morphologic ultrastructure of anchoring fibers in normal vocal fold basement membrane zone.

Anchoring fibers are collagenous structures that help secure basal cells to the superficial layer of the lamina propria (SLLP). Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the morphology and organization of these anchoring fibers at the human vocal fold basement membrane zone. This study shows that anchoring fibers loop from the lamina densa through the lamina propria and reattach to the lamina densa. Collagen fibers from the lamina propria appear to pass through the loops created by the anchoring fibers. This relationship partially explains how the epidermis secures itself to the SLLP during vibration resulting from phonation. The population density of anchoring fibers and genetics is discussed.