Identification of stem cell marker-positive subpopulations in the vocal fold of the larynx through transcriptomic analyses

Information on the maintenance of tissue homeostasis is important for developing effective therapeutic methods. However, reports on the cellular composition and tissue stem cells of the larynx are scarce. Therefore, we analyzed mouse laryngeal mucosa using single-cell RNA- sequencing and spatial transcriptomics by photo-isolation chemistry, and we also generated laryngeal organoids as an in vitro model. Consequently, we found a SOX9-positive basal cell subpopulation and a Lgr5-positive cell subpopulation in the mouse vocal fold, and obtained three types of epithelial organoids from laryngeal epithelium. We also confirmed the differences in pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium characters between the supraglottis and subglottis of the mouse larynx. These findings provide valuable insights and tools for future research in laryngology and stem cell biology.