Role of Larynx

The larynx also known as the voice box, is an organ located at the top of the neck that is responsible for breathing, creating sound, and guarding the trachea from aspiration of food. The laryngeal inlet, which is the aperture of the larynx into the pharynx, measures around 4–5 millimetres in diameter. The larynx is responsible for phonation since it houses the vocal cords and has the ability to modify pitch and volume. Larynx (plural larynges) is derived from the Ancient Greek word lárunx, which means larynx, gullet, or throat. 

Definition 

The larynx is a component of the respiratory system and It’s a hollow tube that connects your throat (pharynx) to your trachea, which then connects to your lungs. It also includes your vocal cords and is necessary for human speech, which is why it is frequently referred to as the voice box.

Structure

The triangular-shaped larynx is mostly composed of cartilages that are linked to one another and to surrounding tissues either by muscles or by fibrous and elastic tissue components. The larynx is formed like a triangle. The larynx, with the exception of the vocal folds, is lined by a ciliated columnar epithelium. Laryngeal cavity: The laryngeal cavity runs from its triangle-shaped intake to the epiglottis and to the circular outlet located at the lower border of the cricoid cartilage, where it is joined to the lumen of the trachea by a narrow passageway called the glottis. The mucous membrane lining the larynx is divided into two sets of lateral folds that protrude inward into the larynx’s cavity when it is closed. The vestibular folds are the upper folds of the ear that are located above the ear. They are also referred to as “fake vocal cords” for the very obvious reason that they do not participate in the production of vocal sounds. The vocal cords, which are located on the lower pair of folds, are responsible for producing the sounds necessary for speaking and other vocalisations. The rima glottidis, a slit-like area between the left and right vocal cords, is the smallest section of the larynx, measuring only a few millimetres in width. The glottis comprises the vocal cords as well as the rima glottidis, which is a part of the rima glottidis. The vestibule is the area of the larynx above the vestibular folds that contains the voice box. The ventricle of the larynx, also known as the laryngeal ventricle, is the very middle region of the cavity that lies between the vestibular folds and the vocal cords. The infraglottic cavity is the open space below the glottis that contains the glottis. 

Location

Among adult humans, the larynx is located in the front neck, at a level corresponding to the cervical vertebrae C3–C6. It is a tube that connects the pharynx’s inferior portion (hypopharynx) with the trachea. The laryngeal skeleton is made up of nine cartilages: three single (epiglottic, thyroid, and cricoid) and three paired (epiglottic, thyroid, and cricoid) (arytenoid, corniculate, and cuneiform). [3] The hyoid bone does not form a part of the larynx, despite the fact that the larynx is hanging from the hyoid during speech. This organ runs vertically from the tip of the epiglottis to its inferior border, where it joins with the cricoid cartilage on either side of it. Its interior can be split into three sections: the supraglottis, the glottis, and the subglottis.

Role of Larynx

The larynx serves a variety of roles.

Producing speech

• The larynx, alternatively termed the voice box, is made up of two sets of vocal folds (mucous membrane structures). 
• Humans are able to talk and sing because of the vibrations of their vocal folds.
• Pitch is modulated through changes in the speed and tension of the vocal folds’ vibrations.

The respiratory system’s airway

• The larynx plays a role in ensuring that air passes smoothly from the nasal cavity to the lungs.
• When a person inhales, air enters through the nose and mouth and travels through the pharynx, larynx, and bronchi.
• When someone is typically breathing, the vocal cords are relaxed and partially open.
• When the body requires additional oxygen, the voice chords open wider during inhalation.
• When sensors in the larynx detect foreign particles that have the potential to irritate the airways, a cough reflex is elicited.

Food is absorbed into the digestive system via the alimentary canal.

• When eating or drinking, the larynx aids prevent choking.
• When food is swallowed, a tiny flap called the epiglottis closes the larynx’s entrance, preventing food and liquid from entering the airways.

Conclusion 

The larynx, alternatively called the voice box, is a hollow, tubular structure attached to the windpipe’s (trachea) top; air flows through the larynx on its route to the lungs. Additionally, the larynx creates vocal sounds and prevents food and other foreign particles from entering the lower respiratory passages. The larynx is protected from collapse by an exterior skeleton of cartilage plates. Membranes and muscle fibres connect the plates. The anterior set of plates, referred to as thyroid cartilage, is characterised by a central ridge and elevation known as the Adam’s apple. Beginning about the age of 20, the plates are gradually replaced by bone cells.