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Respiratory: Histology > Respiratory System Histology > Flashcards

Respiratory System Histology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the functions of the respiratory system?

A

* Supplies oxygen to the blood for delivery to cells throughout the body
* Removes carbon dioxide that has been accumulated in the blood from body tissues
* Phonation (speech)
* Olfaction (smell)
* Lungs function in blood pressure control via renin-angiotensin system

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2
Q

What is the function of the renin-angiotensin system in the lungs?

A

Control of blood pressure

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3
Q

Explain the process of the renin-angiotensin system in the lungs

A

Angiotensin I is converted to angiotensin II via angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in the lung capillaries

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4
Q

Explain the flow of air through the lungs

A

* Air enters the nose or mouth
* Travels via the pharynx and larynx into the trachea
* Trachea branches into the principal bronchi to convey the air to the lungs
* In the lung, each bronchus divides into smaller bronchi which divide into smaller bronchioles
* These bronchioles terminate in the alveolar sacs where gas exchange occurs

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5
Q

What are the functions of the nasal cavity?

A

* Warming inspired air
* Moistening inspired air
* Filtering inspired air

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6
Q

What cell types are present on the roof of the nasal cavity?

A

Olfactory epithelium

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7
Q

What is the initial part of the nasal cavity called?

A

The vestibule

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8
Q

What cell type is the vestibule lined with?

A

Keratinised stratified squamous epithelium

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9
Q

What is the rest of the nasal cavity (excluding vestibule) lined with?

A

Respiratory epithelium - pseudostratified, ciliated, columnar epithelium with goblet cells

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10
Q

What cells line the conducting part of the respiratory system?

A

Respiratory epithelium - pseudostratified, ciliated, columnar epithelium with goblet cells

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11
Q

Name the structures labelled 1-5

A

1) Pseudostratified, ciliated, columnar epithelium with goblet cells 2) Goblet cell 3) Basal cell (stem cell) 4) Cilia 5) Lamina propria/submucosa

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12
Q

What is the purpose of cilia?

A

Clearance of mucous

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13
Q

What is the purpose of goblet cells?

A

Production of mucous

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14
Q

Which areas of the respiratory tract have respiratory epithelium?

A

* Nasal cavity
* Nasopharynx
* Conducting airways

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15
Q

Which areas of the respiratory tract have stratified squamous epithelium?

A

* Vestibule
* Oropharynx
* Laryngopharynx

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16
Q

Where are olfactory epithelium located?

A

Olfactory mucosa

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17
Q

What lies beneath the respiratory epithelium?

A

Lamina propria

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18
Q

What is the lamina propria?

A

A band of connective tissue containing seromucous glands and a rich venous plexus

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19
Q

What happens to the venous plexus in the lamina proper in an allergic reaction?

A

Release of histamine causes the blood vessels to become engorged which ā€˜blocksā€™ the nose

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20
Q

What cell type lines the oropharynx?

A

Non-keratinsed, stratified, squamous epithelium

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21
Q

What cell type lines the posterior surface of the epiglottis?

A

Non-keratinsed, stratified, squamous epithelium

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22
Q

Why is the oropharynx lined with non-keratinsed, stratified, squamous epithelium?

A

The oropharynx transmits both air and swallowed food - it must resist abrasion

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23
Q

What cell type lines the larynx?

A

Respiratory epithelium

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24
Q

What cell type is the anterior surface of the epiglottis lined with?

A

Respiratory epithelium

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25
Q

Which areas of the larynx are not covered with respiratory epithelium?

A

Vocal folds and adjacent structures

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26
Q

What are vocal folds and adjacent structures lined with?

A

Stratified squamous epithelium

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27
Q

Why are vocal folds lined with stratified squamous epithelium rather than respiratory epithelium?

A

Respiratory epithelium would be damaged by vocal folds rubbing together

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28
Q

What does trachea terminate into?

A

Right and left main bronchi

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29
Q

How many tracheal rings are there?

A

Trachea contains 15-20 ā€˜Cā€™ shaped cartilages

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30
Q

What lines the open side of the ā€˜Cā€™ of the cartilage?

A

* Fibroelastic tissue * Smooth muscle

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31
Q

What are tracheal rings composed of?

A

Hyaline cartilage

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32
Q

What happens if you cut the hyaline cartilage of the trachea?

A

It will collapse on itself

33
Q

Explain the composition of the walls of the trachea

A

The wall of the trachea includes:-
* A lining of respiratory epithelium backed by a basal lamina
* A lamina propria of connective tissue with abundant elastic fibres
* A submucosa of connective tissue that includes numerous seromucous glands

34
Q

What effect does smoking have on the airway epithelium?

A

Can paralyse the cilia, meaning mucous cannot be cleared from the airways

35
Q

What happens to the ā€˜ringsā€™ of cartilage once the trachea bifurcates into the 2 main bronchi?

A

The ā€œringsā€ of hyaline cartilage are replaced by irregularly shaped cartilage plates

36
Q

What are the walls of the bronchi composed of?

A

* Respiratory epithelium (RE) * A lamina propria (LP) * A muscularis consisting of a ring of smooth muscle * A submucosa (SM) with adipose tissue and some seromucous glands

37
Q

What happens to the cartilage as bronchi branch and become smaller?

A

Cartilage becomes more discontinuous and is finally lost when the airway is about 1mm in diameter

38
Q

When is cartilage lost?

A

When the airway is about 1mm in diameter (i.e. bronchioles)

39
Q

What are bronchioles?

A

Smaller airways lacking cartilage

40
Q

What are features of bronchioles?

A

* Less than 1mm in diameter * Lack cartilage and glands * May contain a few goblet cells

41
Q

What happens to the airway epithelium as you progress down the respiratory tree?

A

The epithelium decreases in height from columnar to cuboidal as you progress down the respiratory tree to the smallest bronchioles

42
Q

What is the lamina propria composed of in bronchioles?

A

* Smooth muscle * Elastic and collagenous fibres

43
Q

What are terminal bronchioles?

A

The smallest bronchioles that lack respiratory (gas exchange) function

44
Q

What are respiratory bronchioles?

A

First part of the respiratory tree that has respiratory function (gas exchange)

45
Q

What are 2 types of bronchiole?

A

* Terminal * Respiratory

46
Q

How is the diameter of the bronchiole narrowed and widened?

A

The smooth muscle (SM) of the bronchioles respond to parasympathetic innervation, histamine and other factors by contracting and constricting

47
Q

Why is the smooth muscle response to histamine and other factors significant?

A

Plays a significant role in asthma attacks and allergic reactions

48
Q

Why can smooth muscle contraction in bronchioles cause collapse of the lumen?

A

They have no cartilage to give support

49
Q

What are terminal bronchioles lined with?

A

Cuboidal ciliated epithelium that contain non-ciliated club cells

50
Q

What specialised cell type do terminal bronchioles contain?

A

Club cells (also known as Clara cells)

51
Q

What are the functions of club cells?

A

* Stem cells * Detoxification * Immune modulation * Surfactant production

52
Q

How are club cells able to avoid sticking together and collapsing when breathing out?

A

Produce an anti-adhesion factor

53
Q

What are alveoli lined with?

A

Discontinuous squamous type 1 alveolar cells

54
Q

What is the beginning of the respiratory portion of the airways?

A

The respiratory bronchioles

55
Q

Where is the conducting portion of the airways?

A

Extends from trachea to the terminal bronchioles

56
Q

Does the conducting portion have respiratory function?

A

No exchange of oxygen/CO2 with blood occurs in these airways

57
Q

What structures are alveoli associated with?

A

* Respiratory bronchioles * Alveolar ducts * Alveolar sacs

58
Q

Why does gas exchange not occur in the conducting portion of the airways?

A

The walls are too thick

59
Q

What are alveoli?

A

The terminal portions of the bronchial tree

60
Q

What are responsible for the spongy nature of the lungs?

A

Alveoli

61
Q

How many alveoli are contained within each lung?

A

Around 300 million

62
Q

What 2 cell types line alveoli?

A

* Type I alveolar cells * Type II alveolar cells

63
Q

What are alveolar cells called?

A

Pneumocytes

64
Q

What are type I alveolar cells?

A

Simple squamous epithelium that lines the alveolar surfaces covering over 90% of the alveolar surface

65
Q

What percentage of alveolar surface is covered by type I alveolar cells?

A

Over 90%

66
Q

What is the function of type I alveolar cells?

A

Provide a barrier of minimal thickness that is permeable to gases

67
Q

What are features of type II alveolar cells?

A

* Polygonal in shape * The free surface is covered by microvilli * The cytoplasm displays dense membrane bound lamellar bodies which contain surfactant

68
Q

What is the function of type II alveolar cells?

A

* Release surfactant by exocytosis which spreads over the pulmonary surface to reduce surface tension * Prevents alveolar collapse

69
Q

What are alveolar macrophages (dust cells)?

A

Free cells either in the septa or migrating over the luminal surfaces of the alveoli

70
Q

What is the function of alveolar macrophages (dust cells)?

A

Phagocytose inhaled particles that may have escaped entrapment by the mucous lining of the airway

71
Q

What happens to alveolar macrophages once they have phagocytosed particles?

A

* Will migrate up the bronchial tree, transported by ciliary action, to the pharynx where they are swallowed * Or will move into the septal connective tissue where they will remain

72
Q

What is alveolar septa?

A

Separate adjacent alveoli in the lung tissue

73
Q

What structures move between (permeate) the alveolar septa?

A

Capillary networks - allows gas exchange between blood and air

74
Q

What does the air-blood barrier consist of?

A

* Type I alveolar cell (pneumocyte) and associated basal lamina * Endothelial cell of capillary and associated basal lamina

75
Q

How thin is the air-blood barrier?

A

200-600nm (0.2-0.6um)

76
Q

What is the lung surrounded by?

A

Visceral pleura that is multi-layered

77
Q

What are the layers of the visceral pleura?

A

* Outer layer of simple squamous epithelium called mesothelium * Backed by layers of fibrous and elastic connective tissue

78
Q

What exists between the parietal and visceral pleura?

A

Pleural cavity containing a small amount of pleural fluid

79
Q

Which layer of the visceral pleura faces the parietal pleura?

A

Mesothelium

Respiratory: Histology (1 decks)

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