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IMS: Microanatomy > Respiratory System > Flashcards

Respiratory System Flashcards

1
Q

Conducting

vs

Respiratory Zone

A
  • Conducting Zone
    • Vestibule → Terminal bronchioles
    • Warms and humidifies air
    • Traps particles
    • Produces sound
    • Sense of smell
  • Respiratory Zone
    • Respiratory bronchioles → alveoli
    • Gas exchange
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2
Q

Nasal Cavity

Structure

A
  • Nares ⇒ opening
  • Vestibule ⇒ anterior most part
  • Vibrissae ⇒ short thick hairs
  • Conchae ⇒ shelf-like projections off septum
  • Epithelia:
    • Mostly lined with respiratory epithelium
    • Transitional area ⇒ vestibule to respiratory region ⇒ minimally keritinized stratified squamous
    • Olfactory epithelium
      • roof of nasal cavity
      • nasal septum
      • superior nasal concha
    • Thin lamina propria
  • Numerous mucous glands
  • Highly vascularized
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3
Q

Olfactory Epithelium

A
  • Pseudostratified columnar epithelium without goblet cells
  • Taller than respiratory epithelium surrounding it
  • 4 cell types:
    1. Olfactory receptor cells
    2. Sustentacular cells
    3. Brush cells
      • Likely sensory function
      • Same as those found in respiratory epithelium
    4. Basal cells
      • ​​Stem cells
  • Lamina propria contains olfactory nerve bundles → cribriform plate of ethmoid → olfactory nerve
  • Bowman’s glands
    • Serous secretions
    • Travels through ducts to surface
  • Immunoglobulins provide protection
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4
Q

Olfactory Receptor Cells

A
  • Bipolar neurons
  • Short apical dendritic processes bulges into an olfactory vesicle
  • Non-motile cilia
    • First 20% of each cilia with normal 9+2 microtubule arrangement
    • Rest contains 11 single microtubules
  • Basal end forms axons which travel into lamina propria
    • Join to form nerve bundles → olfactory nerve
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5
Q

Sustentactular Cells

A
  • Numerous microvilli on apical surfaces
  • Apical nuclei
  • Contain lipofuscin granules
  • Physical support to olfactory cells
  • Secrete odorant-binding proteins (OBP)
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6
Q

Olfaction

A
  • Odorants bind to OBP in mucous
  • Delivered to receptors on cilia of olfactory receptor cells
  • Activates G-protein coupled receptors
  • Odorants-OBP bind to various receptors with varying affinities
  • Pattern sensed as particular smells
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7
Q

Paranasal Sinuses

A

Frontal, ethmiodal, sphenoid, and maxilla.

  • Hollows in bone surrounding nasal cavities
  • Opens into nasal cavities
  • Lined with respiratory epithelium
  • Functions:
    • resonance
    • strengthening skull without additional weight
    • crumple zone
    • warm and humidify air
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8
Q

Respiratory Epithelium

A
  • Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium containing goblet cells
  • Found in:
    • nasal cavities
    • paranasal sinuses
    • trachea
    • bronchi
    • larger bronchioles
  • Contains 5 cell types:
    1. Ciliated cells
      • Mucociliary escalator
    2. Goblet cells
      • Produce mucous which coats epithelium
    3. Brush cells
      • Likely sensory function
      • Short microvilli
    4. DNES cells
      • Endocrine cells secreting to lamina propria
        • Catecholamines, calcitonin, gastin releasing peptide
      • Do not reach epithelial surface
    5. Basal cells
      • Stem cells
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9
Q

Pharynx

A
  • Three regions:
    1. Nasal pharynx
      • Mostly respiratory epithelium
      • May be areas of olfactory epithelium
    2. Oral pharynx
      • minimally keratinized stratified squamous
    3. Laryngeal pharynx
      • minimally keratinized stratified squamous
  • Passageway for air, liquid, and food
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10
Q

Larynx

A
  • Formed of elastic cartilage
    • Connected by fibroelastic ligaments
    • Moved by intrinsic and extrinsic skeletal muscles
  • Functions to:
    • seperate air from liquids/solids
    • control aspects of breathing
    • phonation
  • Most lined with respiratory epithelium
    • Except epiglottis and vocal folds covered with minimally keratinized stratified squamous
  • Pharynx → Epiglottis → Larynx [Vestibule → Vestibular folds → Ventricle → Vocal folds] → Trachea
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11
Q

Vestibular Folds

A

a.k.a. false vocal folds

  • Structure:
    • Respiratory epithelium over thick lamina propria
    • Contain mucoserous glands
    • Superior area → vestibule
    • Inferior area → ventricle
      • Seperates vestibular folds from vocal folds which lie below them
  • Functions:
    • Are not involved in sound production
    • Affects resonance
    • Role in controlling breathing
    • Helps keep liquids/solids out of airway
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12
Q

Vocal Folds

A
  • Structure:
    • Lie on either side of airway in anterior-posterior orientation
    • Seperated by a space called the glottis
    • Minimally keratinized stratified squamous
    • Fibroelastic vocal ligament
      • Located within the edge of the vocal fold
    • Vocalis muscle
      • Fills in the bulk of the vocal fold
    • Intrinsic muscles
  • Function:
    • Involved in phonation
    • Vocal folds vibrate as air forced through
    • Intrinsic muscles alter vocal fold tension & glottis shape → controls pitch
    • Vocal ligament and vocalis muscle also involved in sound production
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13
Q

Trachea

A
  • Runs inferior to larynx → hila of lungs
  • Divides into right ahd left primary bronchi
  • Four layers:
    1. Mucosa
      • Respiratory epithelium
        • Mucociliary escalator
      • Thick basement membrane
      • Lamina propria
        • Cellular loose CT
        • Rich in elastic fibers
        • Contains lymphocytes
    2. Submucosa
      • Seperated from lamina propria by the elastic membrane
        • Denser region of elastic fibers
      • Similar in makeup to lamina propria
      • Contains mucoserous submucosal glands
        • secrete mucous into lumen
      • Contains lymphocytes which can be aggregated into nodules
    3. Cartilage layer
      • Contains C-rings
    4. Adventitia
      • Outermost layer
      • Due to location within mediastinum, is not covered with mesothelium
  • 16-20 C-shaped hyaline cartilages
    • Cartilages interconnected to each other by fibroelastic CT
    • Open ends of each C connected by trachealis muscle (smooth muscle) & fibroelastic CT
    • Structure allows posteriorly located esophagus to expand into trachea during swallowing
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14
Q

Bronchi

A
  • Primary bronchi
    • Tracheal bifurcation → hilum of lungs
    • aka left and right bronchi
    • Cartilages form rings
  • Intrapulmonary bronchi
    • Secondary bronchi and smaller
    • Cartilage forms irregular plates
    • Size decreases with each generation
    • 11 generations until cartilages disappear → bronchioles
  • Five layers in bronchi:
    1. Mucosa
      • Respiratory epithelium
        • Height of cells decreases as bronchi becomes smaller
      • Basement membrane
        • Becomes thinner
        • Is no longer easily visible by LM at level of secondary bronchi
      • Lamina propria
        • Loose cellular CT with lymphocytes
    2. Muscularis
      • Smooth muscle layer between the lamina propria and submucosa
      • Only in the intrapulmonary bronchi
      • Forms complete ring in larger bronchi
      • Becomes sparse in smaller tubes
    3. Submucosa
      • Submucosal glands becomes sparse then dissappear in smaller bronchi
      • Contains lymphocytes which can be aggreated into nodules
    4. Cartilage layer
      • Plates arranged into cylindrical tube shape
    5. Adventitia

https://www.proteinatlas.org/learn/dictionary/normal/bronchus+1

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15
Q

Bronchioles

A
  • Start at the 12th generation after cartilage disappears
  • Respiratory epithelium in larger bronchioles
    • Goblet cells present only in largest bronchioles
  • Transitions to bronchiolar epithelium as height decreases
    • Ciliated simple columnar
    • Contains Club cells (Clara cells)
  • Embedded in lung parenchyma
    • Diameter controlled by state of lung expansion
  • Terminal bronchioles
    • smallest duct of the conducting zone
    • bronchiolar epithelium
  • Respiratory bronchioles
    • start of the respiratory zone
    • 3 generations with increasing ability for gas exchange
    • lined in part by bronchiolar epithelium and in part by alveolar epithelium
    • alveoli found at invertals which become more frequent with each generation
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16
Q

Club Cells

A

a.k.a. Clara Cells

  • Found in bronchiolar epithelium
  • Domed cells which project above the epithelia
  • Have microvilli
  • Apical secretory granules secrete into lumen
    • Produce protein components of surfactant → CC16
  • Degrade toxins
  • Act as stem cells for bronchiolar epithelium
17
Q

Alveolar Ducts

A
  • Arise from respiratory bronchioles
  • Tubular channels
  • Walls made up almost entirely of alveoli
  • Smooth muscle encircles opening to alveoli
18
Q

Alveolar Sacs

A
  • Found along and at the ends of alveolar ducts
  • Clusters of alveoli
  • Mouth of alveolus associated with an alveolar sac usually encircled by a band of elastic fibers
  • Opens into a common central space → atrium
19
Q

Alveoli

A

Terminal spaces of the respiratory system where gas exchange occurs.

  • Composed of alveolar epithelium
  • Contains 3 main cell types:
    • Type I pneumocytes
    • Type II pneumocytes
    • Alveolar macrophages
  • Few brush cells are scattered in alveolar epithelium
    • Thought to be chemoreceptors for air components or particular matter
  • Alveolar septum: alveolar epithelial layer closely approximated to capillary-containing layer
  • In most places:
    • Capillary sandwiched between two alveoli forming an interalveolar septum
    • Basal laminae of Type I pneumocytes fuse with endothelial cell
      • Makes air-blood barrier extremely thin
  • In thick parts, CT comes between epithelium and capillary.
  • Alveolar pores of Kohn:
    • Small openings in interalveolar septa
    • Allows passage of air from one alveolus to another
    • Permits aeration of alveolus when supplying bronchiole blocked
    • Helps equalize air pressure
20
Q

Type I Pneumocytes

A
  • Covers ~ 95% of the alveolar surface
  • Very thin cells
  • Joined to one another and to type II cells by tight junctions
  • Allows gas exchange
  • Do not divide
21
Q

Type II Pneumocytes

A
  • Cuboidal cells with rounded, bulging surfaces
  • Almost as numerous as type I cells
  • Covers ~ 5% of alveolar surface due to shape
  • Produces surfactant
    • Housed in lamellar bodies on apical surface
    • Exocytosed into alveoli
    • Composed of phospholipids (mainly DPPC) & surfactant proteins (A, B, C, D)
  • Free surfaces with few short microvilli
  • Stem cells for alveolar epithelium
22
Q

Air-blood Barrier

A

The minimal air-blood barrier consists of:

  • surfactant layer
  • type I alveolar cell
  • fused basal laminae of type I cell and endothelial cell
  • capillary endotheial cell
23
Q

Alveolar Macrophages

A
  • Most numerous cell type in the lung
    • Some found within interalveolar septum
    • Most free in the surfactant layer within alveoli
  • Phagocytize particles in the air and invading microorganisms
    • Helps to make alveoli virtually sterile
  • Up to 109 macrophages/day move via mucocilliary escalator and are spat out or swallowed
  • Some leave via lymph or move into CT septa
  • Macrophages that ingest carbon particles cannot break them down → if they remain in CT septa can color tissue
24
Q

Pulmonary Blood Supply

A
  • Pulmonary arteries
    • Carry deoxygenated blood from RV
    • Braches follow intrasegmental bronchi → respiratory bronchioles
    • Forms alveolar capillary network
      • Continuous capillaries
      • Located in the interalveolar septa
    • Oxygenated blood → venules → veins
    • Leaves lung at the hilum via pulmonary veins
    • Pulmonary veins travel in CT septa separate from arteries
  • Bronchial arteries
    • Supply oxygenated blood to conducting zone
    • Follows the airways
    • Most drain into:
      • alveolar capillaries
      • directly into pulmonary veins
    • Few true bronchial veins near hilum
25
Q

Pulmonary Lymphatics

A
  • Deep lymphatic network
    • Begin near alveolar ducts
    • Travels through CT towards hilum
  • Superifical lymphatic network
    • Located in visceral pleura
  • Intrapulmonary lymph nodes located in the lungs
  • Lymphatics pass through:
    • bronchopulmonary nodes at hilum
    • tracheobronchial nodes near tracheal bifuraction
  • Leaves via bronchomediastinal lymph trunk

IMS: Microanatomy (16 decks)

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