Laryngeal cartilages

The laryngeal skeleton is nine cartilages: the thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, epiglottis, arytenoid cartilages, corniculate cartilages, and cuneiform cartilages. The first three are unpaired cartilages, and the latter three are paired cartilages.

1. What are the 4 major cartilages of the laryngeal system?
2. What is the function of laryngeal cartilages?
3. What are the laryngeal cartilages composed of?
4. Which cartilages of the larynx are paired and which are unpaired?

What are the 4 major cartilages of the laryngeal system?

The main cartilages of the larynx are:

• the thyroid cartilage,
• the epiglottic cartilage,
• the cricoid cartilage,
• the arytenoid cartilages and.
• the corniculate and cuneiform cartilages.

What is the function of laryngeal cartilages?

It is a component of the respiratory tract, and has several important functions, including phonation, the cough reflex, and protection of the lower respiratory tract. There are nine cartilages located within the larynx; three unpaired, and six paired.

What are the laryngeal cartilages composed of?

The thyroid cartilage is the largest cartilage of the larynx and is composed of hyaline cartilage. It sits beneath the hyoid bone to which it connects by the thyrohyoid membrane. Inferiorly it articulates with the cricoid cartilage.

Which cartilages of the larynx are paired and which are unpaired?

The skeleton of the larynx consists of three unpaired midline cartilages and four pairs of smaller cartilages. The three unpaired cartilages are the epiglottis, thyroid, and cricoid. The paired cartilages comprise of the arytenoids, corniculates, cuneiforms, and tritiates.