Respiratory - Structures Of The Upper Respiratory System Flashcards
Organ # 1 - nose
What does the nose contain?
Sinuses and nasal cavity
Why do we have hair in our nose?
To trap airborne particles
Where is nasal cavity?
Inside nose and extends to pharynx (throat)
Why does the nasal cavity contain mucosa?
- To moisten and heat air (heated by blood capillaries in the mucosa in nasal cavity)
- trap incoming foreign particles
- olfactory receptors (smell) are located in the mucosa
Where are sinuses found?
Cavities within bones surrounding nasal cavity
What is the function of sinuses?
- Lighten weight of skull
- Resonance chambers (amplify and modify sounds produced by vocal cords)
- Produce mucus that drains into nasal cavity
Organ # 2 - pharynx : what is it?
Muscular passage from nasal cavity to larynx
Where is the nasopharynx located?
Between the nares and soft palate
What is the nasopharynx lined with?
Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
nasopharynx contain (blank) which causes inflammation and can lead to otitis media (ear infection)
Nasopharynx contains eustachian tubes
Where is the oropharynx located?
Between soft palate and base of tongue
What lines the oropharynx?
Stratified squamous epithelium
Where is the laryngopharynx located?
Between hyoid bone and entrance to larynx and esophagus
What lines the laryngopharynx?
Stratified squamous epithelium
What tonsils does the pharynx contain?
- Pharyngeal tonsils
- Palatine tonsils
- Lingual tonsils
Organ #3 - larynx : function?
- voice box
- routes air and food into proper channels
What is the larynx made up of?
Rigid hyaline cartilage and epiglottis
What is the thyroid cartilage in the larynx?
Largest hyaline cartilage (adam’s apple)
What is the vocal folds in the larynx?
Vibrate with expelled air to create sound
What is glottis in the larynx?
Opening between vocal cords
What is the epiglottis in the larynx? When does it close?
- Forms a lid over the larynx so that food cannot enter the trachea
- closes only when eating
Does epiglottis work when someone is unconscious?
Doesn’t work when unconscious which is why there is an increased risk for choking
Why does voice deepen at puberty?
Larynx thickens and lengthens
