Greater alar cartilage
Cartilages of the nose. Side view. (Greater alar cartilage visible in blue at center right.)
Cartilages of the nose, seen from below.
Latin	cartilago alaris major
Gray's	subject #223 993

The greater alar cartilage (lower lateral cartilage) is a thin, flexible plate, situated immediately below the preceding, and bent upon itself in such a manner as to form the medial wall and lateral wall of the naris of its own side.

The portion which forms the medial wall (crus mediale) is loosely connected with the corresponding portion of the opposite cartilage, the two forming, together with the thickened integument and subjacent tissue, the septum mobile nasi.

The part which forms the lateral wall (crus laterale) is curved to correspond with the ala of the nose; it is oval and flattened, narrow behind, where it is connected with the frontal process of the maxilla by a tough fibrous membrane, in which are found three or four small cartilaginous plates, the lesser alar cartilages (cartilagines alares minores; sesamoid cartilages).

Above, it is connected by fibrous tissue to the lateral cartilage and front part of the cartilage of the septum; below, it falls short of the margin of the naris, the ala being completed by fatty and fibrous tissue covered by skin.

In front, the greater alar cartilages are separated by a notch which corresponds with the apex of the nose.

[edit] External links

• Diagram at bcm.edu

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v • d • e Head and neck, upper RT: Nose (TA A06.1, GA 10.992) External nose Ala of nose nasal cartilages (of the septum, Greater alar, Lesser alar, Lateral nasal, Accessory nasal, Vomeronasal) Nasal cavity Openings Nasal vestibule · Nostril · Posterior nasal apertures Lateral wall Nasal concha/meati: Superior nasal concha · Middle nasal concha · Inferior nasal concha · Superior nasal meatus · Middle nasal meatus · Inferior nasal meatus Sphenoethmoidal recess · Ethmoid bulla · Agger nasi · Ethmoidal infundibulum · Semilunar hiatus · Maxillary hiatus Medial wall Nasal septum · Vomeronasal organ Mucous membrane Olfactory mucosa Paranasal sinuses Maxillary sinus · Sphenoidal sinuses · Frontal sinus · Ethmoid sinus Naso-pharynx Pharyngeal opening of auditory tube (Salpingopharyngeal fold, Salpingopalatine fold, Torus tubarius) · Pharyngeal tonsil · Pharyngeal recess respiratory system navs: anat nose,larynx/lower+thoracic cavity/physio/dev, noncongen/congen/tumors, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc