Position

The pharynx is a tube 12 to 14 cm long that

extends from the base of the skull to the level of
the 6th cervical vertebra. It lies behind the nose,
mouth and larynx and is wider at its upper end.
laryngopharynx.
Structures associated with the pharynx

Superiorly – the inferior surface of the base of the skull

Inferiorly – it is continuous with the oesophagus
Anteriorly – the wall is incomplete because of the openings into
the nose, mouth and larynx
Posteriorly – areolar tissue, involuntary muscle and the bodies
of the first six cervical vertebrae.
For descriptive purposes the pharynx is divided into three parts:
nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx
The nasopharynx

The nasal part of the pharynx lies behind the nose above the level of
the soft palate. On its lateral walls are the two openings of the
auditory tubes , one leading to each middle ear.

On the posterior wall are the pharyngeal tonsils (adenoids),

consisting of lymphoid tissue.

They are most prominent in children up to approximately 7 years of

age. Thereafter they gradually atrophy.
The oropharynx
The oral part of the pharynx lies behind the mouth, extending
from below the level of the soft palate to the level of the upper
part of the body of the 3rd cervical vertebra.
The lateral walls of the pharynx blend with the soft palate to
form two folds on each side.
Between each pair of folds is a collection of lymphoid tissue
called the palatine tonsil.
During swallowing, the nasal and oral parts are separated by the
soft palate and the uvula.
The laryngopharynx

The laryngeal part of the pharynx extends

from the oropharynx above and continues
as the oesophagus below, i.e. from the level
of the 3rd to the 6th cervical vertebrae
Structure

The walls of the pharynx contain several types of tissue.

Mucous membrane lining

The mucosa varies slightly in the different regions.

In the nasopharynx it is continuous with the lining of the nose and

consists of ciliated columnar epithelium; in the oropharynx and
laryngopharynx it is formed by tougher stratified squamous epithelium,
which is continuous with the lining of the mouth and oesophagus.

This lining protects underlying tissues from the abrasive action of

foodstuffs passing through during swallowing
Submucosa
The layer of tissue below the epithelium (the submucosa) is
rich in mucosa-associated lymphoid
tissue (MALT, p. 133), involved in protection against
infection. Tonsils are masses of MALT that
bulge through the epithelium. Some glandular tissue is also
found here.
Smooth muscle

The pharyngeal muscles help to keep the pharynx permanently open

so that breathing is not interfered with.
Sometimes in sleep, and particularly if sedative drugs or alcohol have
been taken, the tone of these muscles is reduced and the opening
through the pharynx can become partially or totally obstructed.

This contributes to snoring and periodic wakenings, which disturb

sleep.

Constrictor muscles are responsible for constricting the pharynx

during swallowing, pushing food and fluid into the oesophagus.
Blood and nerve supply

Blood is supplied to the pharynx by several branches of the

facial artery.

The venous return is into the facial and internal jugular

veins.

The nerve supply is from the pharyngeal plexus, formed by

parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves.
Functions

Passageway for air and food

The pharynx is involved in both the respiratory and the
digestive systems: air passes through the nasal and oral
sections, and food through the oral and laryngeal sections.

Warming and humidifying

By the same methods as in the nose, the air is further
warmed and moistened as it passes through the
Taste
There are olfactory nerve endings of the sense of taste in
the epithelium of the oral and pharyngeal parts.

Hearing
The auditory tube, extending from the nasopharynx to
each middle ear, allows air to enter the middle ear.
Satisfactory hearing depends on the presence of air at
atmospheric pressure on each side of the
tympanic membrane
Protection

The lymphatic tissue of the pharyngeal and laryngeal tonsils

produces antibodies in response to antigens, e.g. bacteria .The
tonsils are larger in children and tend to atrophy in adults.

Speech

The pharynx functions in speech; by acting as a resonating

chamber for sound ascending from the
larynx, it helps (together with the sinuses) to give the voice its
individual characteristics.