Epiglottis Elastic Cartilage

In order to prevent food from entering the air passages of the human larynx and trachea, a thin, leaf-shaped flap of tissue, the epiglottis, closes the opening into the larynx during swallowing. Composed mostly of elastic cartilage, the epiglottis joins the external ear and the auditory tube of the middle ear in utilizing the structural support and flexibility this type of connective tissue imparts.