• 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.
(Arch Otolaryngol 102:43-44, 1976)