Anatomy Of The Respiratory Tract (We Are So Back) Flashcards
What are the three most important roles of the upper respiratory tract
Warming and moistening of air, olfaction, production and resonation of sound
What are the importance of Vibrissae in the nose
They are hairs at the entrance of the nose which trap large dust particles
What is the purpose of conchae in the nose
They are projections from the lateral wall which help create turbulence air which slows it down. This allows more time to warm and moisten air.
What is the mucosa and why is it important for the nose
A layer of Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells. This is to produce mucous which traps particles then cilia to push mucous back to pharynx to be swallowed
What adaptation (other than conchae) does the nose have to help warm air
A rich capillary network to provide heat from blood
What moistens the air in the nose
The seromucous glands’ secretions.
What contains the receptors for smell in the nose
The olfactory mucosa located above the superior conchae
What are the paranasal sinuses and why are they important
Air filled gaps in bones around the nasal area which act as resonators for sound. Secretions also drain out of them into the nasal cavity.
What are the three regions of the pharynx from superior to inferior
Nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx
What are the main three functions of the larynx
Keeping the airway open, preventing food and drink from being aspirated and production of sound
What is the larynx made of
It’s mostly a cartilaginous skeleton with a lining of membranes. It also contains the vocal cords and the muscles that control them
What is the glottis
The space between the vocal cords that will close to prevent aspiration of food when swallowing. Air that passes through the glottis will be vibrated over the vocal chords to produce sound when needed
