Respiratory Anatomy Flashcards
The Respiratory System
All cells utilize O2 and give off CO2
Functions of the respiratory system
- supply O2 and dispose of CO2
- vocalization
- olfaction
what’s the equation for cellular respiration
C6H12)6 + 6O2 –> 6CO2 + 6H2O
What are the four processes of the respiration
- Pulmonary Ventilation
- External Respiration
- Transportation of Respiratory Gases
- Internal Respiration
1st process of respiration
Pulmonary Ventilation (breathing): inspiration and expiration
- air moving in and out of lungs
2nd process of respiration
External Respiration:
- O2 diffuses from the lungs into the blood
- CO2 diffuses from the blood into the lungs
3rd process of respiration
Transportation of Respiratory Gases:
- completed by the cardiovascular system - blood is the vehicle
Which two are part of the respiratory system
- Pulmonary Ventilation
- External Respiration
Which two are part of the cardiovascular system
- Transportation of Respiratory Gases
- Internal Respiration
Major Organs
- Nose, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses
- Pharynx
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Bronchi + Branches
- Lungs + Alveoli
Upper respiratory system
nose –> Larynx
lower respiratory system
larynx –> alveoli
Upper respiratory system (URS)
part of the “conducting zone”
- fairly-rigid conduits down to the microscopic sites of gas exchange
- functions to warm, humidify, and filter air
Functions of the Nose
- provides an airway
- moistens and warms entering air
- filters/cleans entering air
- serves as a resonating chamber for speech
- houses olfactory receptors
two regions of the Nose
- external nose
- nasal cavity
what is the external nose created by
Created by the nasal, frontal, and maxillary bones + hyaline cartilage
location of the nasal cavity
within and posterior to the external nose - divided by nasal septum
Olfactory Mucosa
contains olfactory epithelium will smell receptors
respiratory mucosa
lines the remainder of the nasal cavity
- pseudo stratified, ciliated, columnar epithelium
- mucus and serous secretions contains lysozyme and defenses
- cilia move contaminated mucus posteriorly to the throat for swallowing/digestion
- inspired air is warmed by plexuses of capillaries and veins
- a rich supply of sensory nerve endings will trigger a sneeze upon contact with infants
Nasal Conchae
- 3 Conchae protrude medially from each lateral wall of the cavity - superior, middle, and inferior
- covered in mucosa
- increase mucosal surface area and turbulence for enhanced warming/filtering
Nasal meatus
the groove inferior to each concha
inhalation
air is filtered, warmed, moistened
exhalation
heat and moisture are reclaimed
paranasal sinus
from a ring around the nasal cavity
- located in the frontal, sphenoid, ethmoid, maxillary bones
functions of the paranasal sinuses
- lighten the skull
- give resonance to the voice
- produce mucus/warm and moisten the air
Pharynx
- a muscular tube from the base of the skull to C6
- connects the nasal cavity and mouth to the larynx and esophagus
- composed of skeletal muscle
3 regions of the pharynx
- nasopharynx
- oropharynx
- laryngopharynx
Nasopharynx
- passageway for air posterior to the nasal cavity
- lined by pseudo stratified, columnar epithelium
- soft palate and uvula close the nasopharynx during swallowing
- the posterior walls contain the pharyngeal tonsils
- protected by the tubal tonsils
Pharyngotympanic tubes
drain the middle ear cavities and allow middle ear pressure to equalize with atmospheric pressure
oropharnyx
- passageway for food and air - exists from the level of the soft palate to the epiglottis
- mined by more protective, stratified, squamous epithelium
- the paired palatine tonsils are embedded in the lateral walls
- the lingual tonsils exists on the posterior surface of tongue
laryngopharynx
- passageway for food and air
- lined by stratified, squamous epithelium
- posterior to the upright epiglottis.larynx extends to the inferior edge of the cricoid cartilage
- continuous with the esophagus
Larynx
“voice box”
- attaches to the hyoid bone and extends from C3 to C6
- continuous with the trachea
- structurally, an intricate arrangement of 9 cartilages connected by membranes and ligaments
- except for the epiglottis, all cartilage is hyaline cartilage
functions of the larynx
- provides a patent airways
- routes air and food into the proper channels
- produces sound/vocalization - houses the vocal folds
Thyroid cartilage
large, shaped like a shield
- laryngeal prominence = the adam’s apple
- secondary to the secretion of sex hormones during puberty, it is typically larger in males
Cricoid cartilage
ring-shaped
- three small, paired cartilages from the posterior and lateral walls
- Arytenoid, Cuneiform, Corniculate
Whatcartilage makes up the Epiglottis
elastic cartilage
cough reflex
triggered by anything other than air entering the airway
vocal ligaments
deep to the laryngeal mucosa, attach Arytenoid cartilages to the thyroid cartilage, from the core to the vocal folds
vocal folds
true vocal cords
- vibrate to produce sound as air rushes up
- lack blood vessels and appear pearly white
- Glottis: the opening between the vocal folds
vestibular folds
false vocal cords
- lie superiorly to the vocal folds
- play no part in sound production
- assist in closing the glottis during swallowing
speech
intermittent release of expired air while opening and closing the glottis
what aspect of speech production is determined by length/tension of the vocal cords
vocal pitch
volume
determined by force of air – no vibrations with a whisper
enunciation
determined by the activity of the muscles of the pharynx, tongue, soft palate, and lips
sphincter function
vocal folds can as as a sphincter to prevent air passage during the valsalva maneuver
Trachea
“windpipe”
- extends from the larynx down to the mediastinum
trachea is composed of three layers
- mucosa
- submucosa
- adventitia
Mucosa
ciliated, pseudostratified epithelium with goblet cells
Submucosa
connective tissue with seromucous glands
Adventitia
connective tissue, encases 16 to 20 C-shaped hyaline cartilage rings
Tracheas cartilaginous rings
The trachea is flexible enough to move inferiorly and stretch during inspiration and recoil during exhalation; the cartilage rings prevent collapse
The posterior surface of the tracheal rings are connected by the smooth muscle trachealis – allows the esophagus to expand when food is swallowed
Carina
projects posteriorly from the inner surface of the last tracheal cartilage, marks the point where the trachea branches into the two main bronchi
List out the divisions of the bronchial tree starting with trachea and ending with alveoli
- Trachea
- left and right main bronchi
- lobar bronchi
- tertiary bronchi
- bronchioles
- terminal bronchioles
- respiratory bronchioles
- alveolar ducts
- alveolar sacs
- alveoli
How many lobar/secondary bronchi do you have?
5 total
3 - right
2 - left
terminal bronchioles
the smallest bronchioles, less than .5mm in diameter
respiratory zone
defined by the presence of thin-walled air sacs called alveoli: begins when the terminal bronchioles feed into respiratory bronchioles
External surfaces of the alveoli are densely covered with…
pulmonary capillaries
respiratory membrane
alveolar and capillary walls + their fused basement membranes
- only about .5um thick – gases are exchanged by simple diffusion
Alveolar walls are made of what?
single layer of squamous epithelial cells called type I alveolar cells
- sheet of tissue paper is 15x thicker
Type I alveolar cells
alveolar walls are made of a single layer of squamous epithelial tissues
Type II alveolar cells
scattered, cuboidal cells that secrete surfactant and antimicrobial proteins
Surfactant
fluid that contains a detergent-like substance; coats the gas-exposed alveolar surfaces
Alveolar Macrophages
crawl freely along the internal alveolar surfaces consuming bacteria, dust, and other debris
Alveolar pores
openings that connect adjacent alveoli
- equalize air pressure throughout the lung
- allow for re-routing in the event of collapsed/diseased alveoli
Apex
lung’s superior tip, deep to the clavicle
Base
lung’s inferior surface, rests on the diaphragm
Hilum
on the mediastinal surface; site of entry/exit of blood vessels, bronchi, lymphatic vessels, and nerves
Cardiac Notch (left lung)
the concavity/impression of the heart
Oblique fissure (left lung)
separates the superior and inferior lobes
horizontal fissure (right lung)
separated superior and middle lobes
pleurae
thin, double layered serosa
parietal pleura
lines the thoracic wall, superior surface of the diaphragm, around the heart, and between the lungs
Visceral pleura
linens the external surface of the lungs
pleural cavity
slit-like space between the parietal and visceral pleurae
pleural fluid
produced by the pleurae, fills the cavity
- provides both lubrication and surface tension
pleurisy
inflammation of the pleurae - causes increased friction
- results from pneumonia
symptom: stabbing pain with breath
- as disease progresses, extra fluid is produced - friction and pain are reduced. but pressure is exerted on the lungs
pleural effusion
fluid accumulation in the pleural cavity, can sometimes be drained
