Respiratory System - 7b Flashcards
What are the primary functions of the respiratory system?
Respiration, blood pH regulation, air filtration/warming/moistening, smell, vocal sound production, and minor excretion.
What are the two functional zones of the respiratory system?
Conducting zone (filters and conducts air) and respiratory zone (site of gas exchange).
What organs are part of the upper respiratory tract?
Nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, and associated structures.
What organs are part of the lower respiratory tract?
Larynx, trachea, bronchial tree, and lungs.
Which structures form the respiratory zone?
Bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs, and alveoli.
What supports the external nose?
Bones (frontal, nasal, maxilla) and cartilage (septal, lateral, alar).
What is the function of the nasal conchae and meatuses?
Filter, warm, and humidify air; create turbulence for air processing.
What type of epithelium lines the olfactory and respiratory regions?
Olfactory region – olfactory epithelium; Respiratory region – pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells.
What are the three regions of the pharynx and their functions?
Nasopharynx: Air passage, equalizes pressure via auditory tubes.
Oropharynx: Shared with digestive tract; contains palatine and lingual tonsils.
Laryngopharynx: Opens into larynx (air) and esophagus (food).
What type of epithelium lines the oropharynx and laryngopharynx?
Nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium.
What are the single cartilages of the larynx?
Thyroid, epiglottis, and cricoid.
What are the paired cartilages of the larynx?
Arytenoid, cuneiform, and corniculate.
What is the role of the arytenoid cartilages?
Regulate tension in the vocal cords for sound production.
What are the vocal folds and their roles?
Vestibular (false) folds: Help trap air.
True vocal folds: Vibrate to produce sound.
Where is the trachea located and what supports it structurally?
Anterior to the esophagus; supported by 16–20 C-shaped cartilage rings.
What epithelium lines the trachea?
Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells.
What is the function of the open posterior part of the tracheal rings?
Allows esophagus expansion during swallowing.
Describe the branching of the bronchial tree.
Primary bronchi → Secondary bronchi → Tertiary bronchi → Bronchioles → Terminal bronchioles.
How do cartilage and epithelium change in the bronchial tree?
Cartilage decreases (from rings to plates to none); Epithelium changes from pseudostratified to simple cuboidal.
How does the ANS control bronchioles?
Sympathetic: Bronchodilation; Parasympathetic: Bronchoconstriction.
How many lobes does each lung have?
Right: 3 lobes; Left: 2 lobes and a cardiac notch.
What are the lung surfaces?
Base (diaphragm), apex (above clavicle), costal surface (ribs), mediastinal surface (heart-facing, with hilum).
What is the pleura and its function?
Parietal pleura: Lines the thoracic wall.
Visceral pleura: Covers lung.
Pleural cavity: Fluid-filled, reduces friction and helps lung inflation.
What are the three major cell types in alveoli?
Type I: Gas exchange; Type II: Secrete surfactant; Alveolar macrophages: Remove debris.
