Early fiber development in human vocal folds: An in vitro pilot study

When stretch and vibration are applied, human vocal folds develop from an isotropic gel-like structure to a layered structure with specific fiber direction. A human vocal fold fibroblast cell line was used to seed polyurethane foams that were cultured in media and subjected to a variety of mechanical conditioning regimens over a 3-week period. A bioreactor mimicked forces experienced by the human vocal folds to develop a vocal ligament. Fiber orientation was studied qualitatively for combinations of strain and vibration. While collagen type 1 fibers were randomly organized under static conditions, a combination of vibration and strain produced some fiber orientation.