The small cartilages of the voice box
Arytenoid and corniculate cartilages · cartilagines arytenoideae
Tiny pyramid-shaped cartilages that pivot to open and close your vocal cords.
What it does
The arytenoid cartilages sit on top of the cricoid ring at the back of the voice box, each topped by a tiny corniculate cartilage. The vocal cords are attached to them. Small muscles swivel and slide these cartilages to bring the cords together for speaking or pull them apart for breathing.
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.