Respiratory System 2 - Lower Respiratory Tract Flashcards
What does the conductive portion of the functional division (lower respiratory tract) include?
Trachea
Bronchus
Bronchiole
Terminal bronchiole
What does the respiratory portion of the functional division (lower respiratory tract) include?
Respiratory bronchiole
Alveolar duct
Alveoli
Alveolar sac
Describe the location of the trachea?
–> Runs through the mediastinum.
–> The trachea lies immediately anterior to the oesophagus.
–> At the level of the sternal angle, the trachea bifurcates (or divides into two – ‘bi’= two) into the right and left main or primary bronchi.
What is the carina?
The point of bifurcation of the trachea, which is a cartilaginous ridge between the two primary bronchi.
Explain the gross anatomy of the trachea?
The trachea is composed of a framework of 15-20 C-shaped cartilages called tracheal cartilages connected by ligaments.
What is the composition & function of the trachealis muscle?
Smooth muscle tissue
–> Allows for the expansion of the oesophagus as ingested material passes through it.
–> Contraction of the trachealis muscle also decreases the diameter of the trachea, causing expired air to rush upward from the lungs with greater force.
Label the image of the trachea?
How do we regulate the voice loudness and pitch?
What is the function of the epiglottis?
- We regulate voice loudness through the force with which the lungs expel air through the vocal cords.
- We regulate pitch by adjusting the tension and length of these cords.
Epiglottis:
To cover the trachea during swallowing, preventing food and liquid from entering the lungs.
Name & label the cross section of the trachea and oesophagus?
Mucosa
Submucosa
Media
Adventitia
What is the structure of the mucosa of the trachea & what does each layer contain?
A mucosa is composed of an epithelial layer and an underlying layer of areolar connective tissue called the lamina propria.
Epithelial layer = respiratory epithelium
Lamina propria = contains mucous glands (to produce mucous that traps any foreign substances that are inhaled).
What is the submucosa of the trachea composed of & what does it contain?
Areolar connective tissue.
Contains submucosal glands, which produce mucous that traps any foreign substances that are inhaled.
What does the media of the trachea contain?
Contains the C-shaped tracheal cartilages, which are composed of hyaline cartilage.
What is the adventitia of the trachea composed of & what is its function?
–> Composed of areolar connective tissue.
–> Anchors the trachea to surrounding structures.
Label the histology image of the tracheal wall?
What is the bronchial tree?
The point at which the trachea bifurcates into 2 bronchi and until these bronchi enter the lungs and continue to branch forming progressively smaller airways.
Describe the size difference between the 2 bronchus?
The right bronchus is wider, shorter and more vertical than the left bronchus.
What happens to each bronchus after entering the lungs?
The right main bronchus divides into three lobar bronchi and the left main bronchus divides into two lobar bronchi.
What do the lobar bronchi divide into & what continues to happen?
- A tertiary bronchi
- Divides into smaller bronchi, which divide into smaller airways called bronchioles, which continue to divide and become progressively smaller.
What is the final division of the bronchioles and why are these important?
Terminal bronchioles
–> Important because they mark the end of the conductive portion of the respiratory system.
Why would there be smooth muscle in the walls of the terminal bronchioles?
Allows for regulation of airway constriction and dilation, thus controlling airflow into the lungs.
What happens to the epithelium when transitioning from conducting airways towards the sites of gas exchange?
Main bronchi = pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium (i.e. respiratory epithelium).
Smaller bronchi & bronchioles = simple columnar epithelium
Terminal bronchioles = simple cuboidal epithelium.
What happens to the cartilage & smooth muscles when transitioning from conducting airways towards the sites of gas exchange?
Cartilage:
The incomplete rings of hyaline cartilage in the trachea continue into the main bronchi to keep them open and then decrease in number and size as the bronchi divide, until they are absent in the bronchioles where they are no longer needed to keep the airways open.
Smooth muscle:
Complete rings of smooth muscle develop and increase in thickness as the bronchi divide, until the smooth muscle completely replaces the hyaline cartilage in the bronchioles.
Which primary bronchus (right or left) is more likely to ‘catch’ foreign objects?
Right (move vertical angle & greater diameter) make it easier for the right bronchus to catch foreign objects than the left bronchus.