Anatomy and Cell Biology 3309 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Phonation, Common Cold, Dysphonia
23 Jan 2017
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Document Summary
The pharynx connects the nasal and oral cavities to the larynx and esophagus. It serves as a passageway for air and food and acts as a resonating chamber for speech. The pharynx is located posterior to the nasal and oral cavities and is divided regionally into the nasopharynx and oropharynx, respectively (the auditory (eustachian) tubes connect the nasopharynx to each middle ear. Diffuse lymphatic tissue and lymphatic nodules are present in the wall of the nasopharynx. The concentration of lymphatic nodules at the junction between the superior and posterior walls of the pharynx is called the pharyngeal tonsil. The passageway for air between the oropharynx and trachea is the larynx. This complex tubular region of the respiratory system is formed by irregularly shaped plates of hyaline and elastic cartilage (the epiglottis and the vocal processes of the arytenoid cartilages). In addition to serving as a conduit for air, the larynx serves as the organ for producing sounds.
