Since their relatively recent discovery, telocytes (TCs) have been described as peculiar cells strategically positioned in the stromal tissue component of multiple organ systems of the mammalian body including female reproductive organs (i.e., ovary, uterine tube, and uterus). Nevertheless, current knowledge of TCs in the vagina is very limited. The present study was therefore undertaken to investigate the existence and characteristics of TCs in the stromal tissue of human vaginal mucosa by means of immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In the vaginal lamina propria, TCs were first identified by CD34 immunohistochemistry that revealed the presence of CD34⁺ stromal cells arranged in networks, especially around blood vessels. Double immunofluorescence confocal microscopy allowed to precisely distinguish the perivascular networks of CD34⁺ stromal cells lacking CD31 immunoreactivity from adjacent CD31⁺ microvessels. All the perivascular networks of TCs/CD34⁺ stromal cells situated in the vaginal lamina propria coexpressed platelet-derived growth factor receptor α, which strengthened their identification as TCs. Instead, vaginal mucosal TCs were immunophenotypically negative for c-kit/CD117. The ultrastructural examination confirmed the presence of TCs, namely stromal cells with characteristic cytoplasmic processes (i.e., telopodes) forming labyrinthine networks around blood vessels and releasing extracellular vesicles. Together, our morphological findings provide the first comprehensive demonstration that TCs reside in the human vaginal lamina propria, thus paving the way for further investigation of their putative functions in vaginal mucosal homeostasis and pathophysiology.

自从其相对较新的发现以来，特洛细胞（TC）被描述为战略性地定位在哺乳动物身体的多个器官系统的基质组织成分中的特殊细胞，包括雌性生殖器官（即卵巢、输卵管和子宫）。然而，目前对阴道TCs的了解非常有限。因此，本研究通过免疫组织化学、免疫荧光共聚焦显微镜和透射电子显微镜来研究人阴道粘膜基质组织中TC的存在和特征。在阴道固有层中，首先通过 CD34 免疫组织化学鉴定了 TC，结果显示存在以网络形式排列的 CD34 ⁺基质细胞，尤其是在血管周围。^{双免疫荧光共聚焦显微镜可以精确区分缺乏 CD31 免疫反应性的 CD34 +}基质细胞的血管周围网络与相邻 CD31 ⁺微血管。位于阴道固有层的所有 TCs/CD34 ^{+基质细胞的血管周围网络共表达血小板衍生生长因子受体 α，这加强了它们作为 TCs 的识别。}相反，阴道粘膜 TC 的 c-kit/CD117 免疫表型呈阴性。超微结构检查证实了 TC 的存在，即具有特征性细胞质过程（即端足）的基质细胞，在血管周围形成迷宫式网络并释放细胞外囊泡。总之，我们的形态学研究结果首次全面证明 TC 存在于人类阴道固有层中，从而为进一步研究它们在阴道粘膜稳态和病理生理学中的假定功能铺平了道路。