Thyroid Cartilage

The larynx (voice box) is composed primarily of muscles and cartilages that are bound together by elastic tissues. The thyroid cartilage was named for the thyroid gland that covers its lower part. This cartilage is the shieldlike structure that protrudes in the front of the neck and is sometimes called the "Adam's apple." The protrusion is usually more prominent in males than in females because of the effect of male sex hormones on the development of the larynx.