- The superficial lamina propria, also referred to as Reinke’s space, is a layer of the vocal cord comprised mainly of fluid and loosely woven elastic fibres.
- Recall that the vocal cord is comprised of 5 layers. From superficial to deep, these are:
- Epithelium
- Superficial lamina propria
- Intermediate lamina propria
- Deep lamina propria
- Vocalis (thyroarytenoid) muscle
- The superficial lamina propria is also known as Reinke’s space.
- The intermediate and deep lamina propria collectively form the vocal ligament.
- Functionally, these layers combine to allow the vocal cord to function as a double layered vibrator comprising of a cover and a body, as per Hirano’s Cover-Body Model.
Last updated October 26, 2022
