Kyoto, Japan -- The larynx, also known as the voice box, is home to your vocal folds and is the reason you can talk and sing while manipulating the pitch and volume of your voice. The vocal folds, which are part of the larynx, are covered with mucosa, or mucous membranes.

Besides vocalization, the larynx also serves other essential functions such as breathing, airway protection, and swallowing. For this reason, any kind of damage resulting in laryngeal dysfunction, or vocal cord dysfunction, can severely disrupt a person's life and lead to symptoms such as voice disorders, chronic cough, or aspiration.

"Vibration of the vocal fold in the larynx plays a crucial role in voice production," says Japanese researcher Koichi Omori. "However, these tissues are difficult to regenerate after injury or the surgical removal of head or neck tumors, which can significantly affect a patient's quality of life."

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