pharynx
Sign in to saveThe pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its structure varies across species. The pharynx carries food to the esophagus and air to the larynx. The flap of cartilage called the epiglottis stops food from entering the larynx.
AI overview
The pharynx is the part of your throat located behind your mouth and nose, sitting above the tubes that lead to your stomach and lungs. It serves the important function of directing food down to your stomach and air down to your lungs, with a special flap called the epiglottis preventing food from accidentally entering your airway.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Anatomy.Name
- Pharynx
- Anatomy.Latin
- pharynx
- Anatomy.Greek
- φάρυγξ (phárynx)
- Anatomy.Image
- Illu01 head neck.jpg
- Anatomy.Caption
- Head and inner neck
- Anatomy.Image2
- Illu_pharynx.jpg
- Anatomy.Caption2
- Pharynx
- Anatomy.Artery
- Pharyngeal branches of ascending pharyngeal artery, ascending palatine, descending palatine, pharyngeal branches of inferior thyroid
- Anatomy.Vein
- Pharyngeal plexus
- Anatomy.Nerve
- Pharyngeal plexus of vagus nerve, recurrent laryngeal nerve, maxillary nerve, mandibular nerve
- Anatomy.part_of
- Throat
- Anatomy.system
Article
18 sectionsContents
- Structure
- Nasopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Laryngopharynx
- Function
- Clinical significance
- Inflammation
- Pharyngeal cancer
- Waldeyer's tonsillar ring
- Etymology
- Other vertebrates
- Pharyngeal arches
- Pharyngeal jaws {{anchor|Pharyngeal_jaws}}
- Invertebrates
- Additional images
- See also
- References
- External links
The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its structure varies across species. The pharynx carries food to the esophagus and air to the larynx. The flap of cartilage called the epiglottis stops food from entering the larynx.
In humans, the pharynx is part of the digestive system and the conducting zone of the respiratory system. (The conducting zone—which also includes the nostrils of the nose, the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles—filters, warms, and moistens air and conducts it into the lungs). The human pharynx is conventionally divided into three sections: the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx (hypopharynx).