[3] The muscle originates from (the posterior aspect of) the lamina of cricoid cartilage.

[1] The muscle's fibres converge to insert onto (the superior, posterior and (minimally the) anterolateral aspects of) the muscular process of the ipsilateral arytenoid cartilage[4] (its medial belly and lateral belly insert onto the muscular process medially and laterally, respectively).

[3] The posterior cricoarytenoid muscle receives motor innervation from (the anterior division of) the recurrent laryngeal nerve (itself a branch of the vagus nerve (CN X)).

The lateral-most portion of the muscle also draws the arytenoid cartilages lateral-ward, making the rima glottidis into a triangular shape.

[1][6] By abducting the vocal folds, the muscle opens the rima glottidis.