Lecture 14: OVERVIEW AND UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT Flashcards
What is the respiratory system?
Connected organs and structures that function to conduct warm, clean, moist air into close proximity with blood fo the circulatory system for gas exchange
What are the key characteristics of air?
Warm, clean and moist
What does the respiratory system need to be effective?
A surface for gas exchange, a path for air to flow to reach the gas exchange surface in optimal condition, ability to draw breath in and out, plus produce sound (voice) and olfaction (smell)
What happens at the surface for gas exchange?
Blood and air come close together but are separated (don’t mix)
What are the main components of the respiratory system?
Upper respiratory tract, lower respiratory tract plus thoracic cavity, joints and respiratory muscles
What are the regions of the respiratory system?
Conducting region, respiratory region, oral cavity and nasal cavity
Where is the conducting region?
From the nose to the bronchioles
What does the conducting region do?
Ensures air is warm, clean and moist
Where is the respiratory region?
Alveoli deep in the lungs
What is the respiratory region the site of?
Gas exchange
What is the oral cavity?
Passage for air and food= different cellular structure
What is the nasal cavity for?
Olfaction
Where is mucosa found?
Lining most hollow body organs
What is mucosa?
Epithelia attached via a basement membrane to the lamina propria (connective tissue and glands)
What is below the mucosa?
Usually the submucosal layer
What does the submucosal layer contain?
Depending on the region may contain many glands, also connective tissue and blood vessels
What is the respiratory tract lined with?
Mucosa
What changes along the respiratory tract?
The epithelia to reflect function
What is the epithelia of most of the conducting region?
Respiratory epithelium
What is the epithelia where air and food travel?
Stratified squamous for protection against abrasion like in skin
What is the epithelia at sites of gas exchange?
Simple squamous so it is thin
What is the epithelia at the olfaction?
Olfactory mucosa
What is respiratory epithelium?
Pseudostratified, ciliated, columnar epithelium (with goblet cells)
What is pseudo stratified?
Fake layering where all cells touch the basement membrane
Where are cilia found?
On the apical surface of cells
WHere is respiratory epithelium found?
In the nasal cavity, parts of the pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi
What do goblet cells do?
produce mucus
What does mucus do?
Traps debris, cleans and moistens air
What do ciliated cells do?
Patterned movement pushes mucus to the pharynx. It is then swallowed and digested by stomach acid
What are the components of the URT?
Nose and nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses and pharynx
What is the components of the pharynx?
Nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx
What is the function of the URT?
A conducting passage (not only for air) which prepares air for the respiratory membrane (gas exchange)
What are paranasal sinuses?
Resonating chambers for speech
What is olfaction?
Sensory receptors for smell
What is the nose?
The primary passageway for air
What is the secondary passageway for air?
The mouth