Reinke's space is a potential space between the vocal ligament and the overlying mucosa. It is not an empty space, but contains cells, special fibers and

extracellular matrix In biology, the extracellular matrix (ECM), also called intercellular matrix, is a three-dimensional network consisting of extracellular macromolecules and minerals, such as collagen, enzymes, glycoproteins and hydroxyapatite that provide s ...

. It plays an important role in the vibration of the vocal cords. Edema of this space is called

Reinke's edema Reinke's edema is the swelling of the vocal cords due to fluid (edema) collected within the Reinke's space. First identified by the German anatomist Friedrich B. Reinke in 1895, the Reinke's space is a gelatinous layer of the vocal cord located un ...

References

Notes

{{Reflist Larynx Anatomy