The vestibular folds and the vocal cords are lined with stratified squamous epithelium. Remainder of the larynx is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium. Inflammation of the mucosal epithelium of the vocal cords is called laryngitis . When speech is produced, air moving past the vocal cords causes them to vibrate producing sound. Play The greater the amplitude of the vibration, the louder the sound will be.
Pitch is controlled by the frequency of the vibrations.
The cricoid cartilage and the arytenoid cartilages can be moved by various muscles to change the length of the vocal cords. Higher pitched tones are produced when only the anterior portions of the cords vibrates. Progressively lower tones result when longer sections of the cords vibrate. Males normally have lower voices than females because males usually have longer vocal cord. The sound produced by the vibrating vocal cords is modified by the tongue, lips, and teeth to form words.