Respiratory Anatomy Flashcards
Respiration
The exchange of gases between a living organism and its environtment
What are the major function of the respiratory system?
Provides a passageway for oxygen to enter the body
Provides a passageway for Carbon dioxide to exit the body
Facilitate the gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body
What three distinct processes make up the process of respiration?
Ventilation
Diffusion
Perfusion
Ventilation
The mechanical process of moving air in and out of the lungs
Diffusion
The movement of molecules through the membrane from an area of greater concentration to an area of lesser concentration
Perfusion
The circulation of blood through the capillaries
What two components is the airway divided into?
Upper airway, lower airway
What are the components of the upper airway?
Nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx
What are the components of the lower airway?
Trachea, primary bronchi, lungs
Major function of the upper airway
Warm, filter, humidify air
Pharynx/throat
Muscular tube that extends from the nose and mouth to the level of the esophagus and trachea
What is the pharynx/throat composed of?
Nasopharynx, oropharynx, laryngopharynx
Mouth
Uvula, palatine tonsil, tongue, lingual frenulum, gingiva
5 basic functions of the nose
Passage of air into the respiratory system, warms air prior to entering the lungs, moistens air prior to entering the lungs, filters and cleans air of particles prior to entering the lungs, speech resonating chamber
Nasal cavity
The space inside the nose above the bone that forms the roof of your mouth and curves down at the back to join the throat. Divided into two sections called the nasal passages.
External nares
Openings that form the entrance to the nose
Turbinates
Tiny structures inside your nose that cleanse, heat and humidify the air as it passes through your nasal cavity.
Nasal septum
A wall of cartilage that divides the nose into 2 separate chambers
Internal nares
The opening from the nasal cavity into the pharynx
Vestibule
The area just indie the nostril that leads into the nasal cavity
Olfactory Mucosa
Lines the slit-like superior area of the nasal cavity, contains sense of smell receptors
Respiratory Mucosa
Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium, contains mucous and serous glands, 1qt. Per day mucous containing lysozyme (antibacterial enzyme) and defensins (antibiotic), gentle current of the ciliated cells moves contaminated mucous towards the pharynx for swallowing and digestion by stomach juices
Paranasal sinuses
Two-way streets filled with mucus-producing (goblet) cells, small openings connect to nasal cavity, air moves in from nasal cavity and mucous drains into the cavity, helps warm and humidify air, enhances the voice resonance, frontal/sphenoid/maxillary sinuses
Nasopharynx
Functions as an air passageway, lined with ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium, takes over the mucous propelling job from the nasal mucosa, contains the pharyngeal tonsil, contains the openings for the auditory tubes which drain middle ear cavities and allow middle ear pressure to equalize with atmospheric pressure
Oropharynx
Air and food passageway, epithelium lining changes to stratified squamous epithelium to accommodate food passage (chemicals and friction, contains the palatine and lingual tonsils
Laryngopharynx
Air and food passageway, lined with stratified squamous epithelium which continues from the oropharynx
Eustachian tube
A narrow passage leading from the pharynx to the cavity of the middle ear permitting the equalization of pressure on each side of the eardrum
Anatomy of the lower airway
Area where there respiratory exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs
Trachea, alveoli, main bronchi, smaller bronchi, bronchioles
Inverted tree
Trachea representing trunk, alveoli resembling tree’s leaves
Larynx
Thyrohyoid ligament, hyoid bone, laryngeal prominence (Adams apple), thyroid cartilage, cricothyroid membrane, cricoid cartilage, trachea
Function of the epiglottis
Leaf-shaped structure attached to the thyroid cartilage by the “stem”, leaf part moves up and down to close the opening to the glottis (open space between vocal cords of the larynx), keeps food out of the lungs
Trachea
Windpipe, 10-12 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter, extends from the larynx to the mediastinum, ends at primary bronchi division point (superior border of T-5), flexible and mobile, consists of 3 layers of tissue similar to many tubular organs and 16-20 “C” shaped hyaline cartilage rings
Bronchial tree
Begins at the trachea and ends at the terminal bronchioles, epithelial lining changes from primary bronchi to terminal bronchioles, pseudostratified ciliated epithelium in bronchi to non-ciliated cuboidal epithelium in the terminal bronchioles
What parts of the lower airway are involved in gas exchange?
Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveoli
Respiratory bronchioles
Where gas exchange occurs, divide to become ducts
Alveolar ducts
Single layer of epithelium, gas exchange site
Alveolus
Site of gas exchange, cup-shaped structure lined with a single epithelial layer (2 types of cells) and elastic membrane
Alveolar sacs
2 or more alveoli share a common opening
Capillary
Alveolus, alveolar epithelium, basement lamina, interstitial space, capillary endthelium, red blood cell
Types of Epithelial cells?
Type I: simple squamous
Type II: septal cells
Alveolar macrophages: dust cells
Type I: simple squamous
Good for diffusion of gases
Type II: septal cells
Produce surfactant which lowers the surface tension of fluid on alveoli, prevents collapse of alveoli, surfactant is a combination of phospholipids and lipoproteins
Alveolar Macrophages: Dust cells
Wandering phagocytes that remove fine dust particles and other debris in the alveolar spaces
