Term Name:	lateral crico-arytenoid
Synonyms:	cricoarytaenoideus lateralis, cricoarytaenoideus lateralis muscle, cricoarytænoideus lateralis, cricoarytænoideus lateralis muscle, lateral cricoarytenoid muscle, musculus cricoarytenoideus lateralis
Definition:	The lateral cricoarytenoid (also anterior cricoarytenoid) muscles extend from the lateral cricoid cartilage to the ipsilateral arytenoid cartilage. By rotating the arytenoid cartilages medially, these muscles adduct the vocal cords and thereby close the rima glottidis, protecting the airway. (Their action is antagonistic to that of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles. ) The lateral cricoarytenoid muscles receive innervation from the recurrent laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve (CN X).
Ontology:	Uberon Ontology [UBERON:0008573]