Abstract
The molecular control of the development, differentiation and functional specialization of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles is largely unaddressed. This work begins to address these questions by examining the expression of myosin heavy chain genes and the muscle regulatory factor, Myf-5, in the larynx. We provide here a brief review of gene expression and the genetic control of skeletal muscle development, and report some preliminary findings of unique gene expression in the intrinsic laryngeal muscles.