Pharynx

Question 1

What is the pharynx?

Answer 1

A funnel shaped tube about 13 cm long.

Question 2

Where does the pharynx start and end?

Answer 2

It starts at the internal nares and extends to the level of the cricoid cartilage, the most inferior cartilage of the larynx (voice box)

Question 3

Where does the pharynx lie?

Answer 3

Posterior to the nasal and oral cavities.
Superior to the larynx.
Anterior to the cervical vertebrae.

Question 4

What is the wall of the pharynx made of?

Answer 4

Skeletal muscle and lined with a mucous membrane.

Question 5

How do the skeletal muscles keep the pharynx patent?

Answer 5

When they are relaxed. Contraction of the skeletal muscles assists in degluition (swallowing).

Question 6

What is the function of the pharynx?

Answer 6

As a passageway for air and food.
Provides a resonating chamber for speech sounds.
Houses the tonsils (which take part in an immunological reaction against foreign invaders)

Question 7

What 3 regions can the pharynx be divided into?

Answer 7

Nasopharynx. Oropharynx. Laryngopharynx.

Question 8

How are the muscles in the pharynx arranged?

Answer 8

In two layers. An outer circular layer and an inner longtidunal layer.

Question 9

What is the superior portion of the pharynx and where is it?

Answer 9

Nasopharynx and lies posterior to the nasal cavity and extends to the soft palate.

Question 10

What is the partition between the Oropharynx and Nasopharynx?

Answer 10

The soft palate which forms the posterior portion of the roof of the mouth, is an arch shaped muscular partition between the Nasopharynx and Oropharynx.

Question 11

What are the five openings in the Nasopharynx?

Answer 11

Two internal nares.
Two openings that lead into the auditory (pharyngotympanic) tubes (also known as eustachian tubes).
Opening to the Oropharynx.

Question 12

What does the posterior wall of the Nasopharynx contain?

Answer 12

Pharyngeal tonsil or adenoid.

Question 13

What does the Nasopharynx receive from the nasal cavity?

Answer 13

Air and dust-laden mucus.

Question 14

What cells is the Nasopharynx lined with?

Answer 14

Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium. The cilia move the mucus down towards the inferior part of the pharynx.

Question 15

What does the Nasopharynx exchange with the auditory tubes?

Answer 15

Small amounts of air to equalise the pressure between the pharynx and middle ear.

Question 16

What is the intermediate part of the pharynx and where does it lie?

Answer 16

Oropharynx.
Posterior to the oral cavity.
Extends from the soft palate inferiorly to the level of the hyoid bone.

Question 17

What opening does the Oropharynx have?

Answer 17

One from the mouth called the Fauces.

Question 18

What function does the Oropharynx have?

Answer 18

Both respiratory and digestive functions.

It serves as a common passageway for food, air and drink.

Question 19

What cells is the Oropharynx lined with?

Answer 19

Nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium as it is subject to abrasion by food.

Question 20

What tonsils are found in the Oropharynx?

Answer 20

Palatine and lingual tonsils.

Question 21

What is the inferior portion of the pharynx and its function?

Answer 21

Laryngopharynx or hypopharynx.

Begins at the level of the hyoid bone.

Question 22

What does the Laryngopharynx open to?

Answer 22

At the inferior end it opens to the oesophagus posteriorly and anteriorly to the larynx.

Question 23

What cells is the laryngopharynx lined with?

Answer 23

Nonkertanized stratified squamous epithelium.

Question 24

What are the muscles of the pharynx?

Answer 24

Superior constrictor.
Middle constrictor.
Inferior constrictor.
Pharyngeal Raphe.
Oesphagus

Question 25

What are the tonsils?

Answer 25

Collections of lymphoid tissue in mucosa of pharynx. Surround openings of the nasal and oral cavities. Part of the bodies defence system.