The Respiratory System Flashcards
nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, and associated
structures
Upper respiratory system
• Trachea, larynx, bronchi, bronchioles, and lungs
Lower respiratory system
• All airways that carry air to lungs:
— Nose, pharynx, trachea, larynx, bronchi, bronchioles, and terminal bronchioles
“Conducting zone”
• Sites within lungs where gas exchange occurs
— Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs, and alveoli
“Respiratory zone”
• Structure
— External nares -> nasal cavity -> internal nares
— Nasal septum divides nose into two sides
— Nasal conchae covered by mucous
membrane
• Functions
— Warm, humidify, filter/trap dust and microbes
a. Mucus and cilia of epithelial cells lining nose
— Detect olfactory stimuli
— Modify vocal sounds
Nose
branch of medicine that deals with the
diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ears, nose, and throat
(ENT)
Otorhinolaryngology
ENT means
ears, nose, and throat
divides nose into two sides.
Nasal septum
covered by mucous membrane.
Nasal conchae
- Warm, humidify, filter/trap dust and microbes.
a. Mucus and cilia of epithelial cells lining nose. - Detect olfactory stimuli.
- Modify vocal sounds.
Functions of nose
• Known as the “throat”
• Structure
- Funnel-shaped tube from internal nares to larynx.
• Three regions (with tonsils in the upper two).
- Upper: nasopharynx; posterior to nose.
a. Contains adenoids (pharyngeal tonsil) and
openings of auditory (Eustachian) tubes.
- Middle: oropharynx; posterior to mouth.
a. 2 pairs of tonsils; Palatine and lingual tonsils are
here.
- Lower: laryngopharynx (hypopharynx)
a. Connects with both esophagus and larynx: food
and air.
PHARYNX
Three regions of Pharynx (with tonsils in the upper two).
- Upper: nasopharynx
- Middle: oropharynx
- Lower: laryngopharynx (hypopharynx)
— posterior to nose.
a. Contains adenoids (pharyngeal tonsil) and openings of auditory (Eustachian) tubes.
Upper: nasopharynx
— posterior to mouth.
a. 2 pairs of tonsils; Palatine and lingual tonsils are here.
Middle: oropharynx
(hypopharynx)
a. Connects with both esophagus and larynx: food and air.
Lower: laryngopharynx
Known as the “throat”
PHARYNX
“Voice Box”
LARYNX
• “Voice Box”
• Made largely of cartilage (9 cartilages)
- Thyroid cartilage: V-shaped.
a. “Adam’s apple”: projects more anteriorly in
males.
b. Vocal cords “strung” here (and to arytenoids).
- Epiglottis: leaf-shaped piece; covers airway.
a. During swallowing, larynx moves up, so epiglottis
covers opening into trachea.
- Cricoid cartilage: inferior most portion.
- Arytenoids (paired, small) superior to cricoid.
a. True vocal cords for speech.
- Cuneiform and corniculate cartilages
a. Cuneiform cartilages (paired) – support vocal folds
and lateral aspects of the epiglottis.
b. Corniculate cartilages (paired) – horn-shaped pieces
of elastic cartilage, located at the apex of each
arytenoid cartilage.
LOWER RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: LARYNX
— V-shaped.
a. “Adam’s apple”: projects more anteriorly in
males.
b. Vocal cords “strung” here (and to arytenoids).
Thyroid cartilage
Larynx is Made largely of cartilage (9 cartilages)
1 in Thyroid cartilage
1 in Epiglottis
1 in Cricoid cartilage
2 in Arytenoids
2 in Cuneiform cartilages and
2 in corniculate cartilages
— leaf-shaped piece; covers airway.
a. During swallowing, larynx moves up, so epiglottis covers opening into trachea.
Epiglottis
inferior most portion.
Cricoid cartilage
— (paired, small) superior to cricoid.
a. True vocal cords for speech.
Arytenoids
— support vocal folds and lateral aspects of the epiglottis.
Cuneiform cartilages (paired)
– horn-shaped pieces of elastic cartilage, located at the apex of each arytenoid cartilage.
Corniculate cartilages
• Mucous membrane of larynx forms two pairs of folds.
- Upper/superior = vertical folds (vestibular folds) or false vocal cords.
- Vestibular folds – holding breath.
- Lower/inferior = vocal folds or true vocal cords.
a. Glottis is the opening of the vocal folds.
b. Contain elastic ligaments.
c. When muscles pull elastic ligaments tight, vocal cords vibrate → sounds in upper airways.
d. Pitch adjusted by tension of true vocal cords.
- Lower pitch of male voice.
a. Vocal cords longer and thicker; vibrate more
slowly.
VOICE PRODUCTION
Mucous membrane of larynx forms two pairs of folds:
• Upper/superior
• Lower/inferior
vertical folds (vestibular folds) or false vocal cords.
Upper/superior
holding breath.
Vestibular folds
vocal folds or true vocal cords.
Lower/inferior
opening of the vocal folds.
Glottis
Vocal cords longer and thicker; vibrate more slowly.
Lower pitch of male voice.
inflammation of the larynx that is most
often caused by a respiratory infection or irritants such as cigarette smoke.
Laryngitis
found almost exclusively in individuals who smoke.
Cancer of the larynx
Treatment of LARYNGITIS AND CANCER OF
THE LARYNX
radiation therapy and/or
surgery.
measurement of smoking. It is equivalent of smoking one pack of cigarettes a day for one year. There are 20 cigarettes in a pack, so if a person smokes 20 cigarettes a day for one year, it is called one pack-year.
Pack-year
Cigarette smoking causes
Lung cancer
“Windpipe”
TRACHEA
• “Windpipe”
• Location:
- Anterior to esophagus and thoracic vertebrae.
- Extends from end of larynx to primary bronchi.
• Structure:
- Lined with pseudostratified ciliated mucous
membrane: traps and moves dust upward.
- C-shaped rings of (hyaline) cartilage support trachea, keep lumen open during exhalation.
- Tracheostomy: opening in trachea for tube.
TRACHEA
- Anterior to esophagus and thoracic vertebrae.
- Extends from end of larynx to primary bronchi.
Location of TRACHEA
- Lined with pseudostratified ciliated mucous
membrane: traps and moves dust upward. - C-shaped rings of (hyaline) cartilage support trachea, keep lumen open during exhalation.
Structure of TRACHEA
opening in trachea for tube.
Tracheostomy
• Structure of bronchial tree.
- Bronchi contain cartilage rings.
- Primary bronchi enter the lungs.
- In lungs, branching → secondary bronchi
a. One for each lube of lung: 3 in right, 2 in left.
- Tertiary bronchi →→→ terminal bronchioles.
• These smaller airways.
- Have less cartilage, more smooth muscle.
- In asthma, these airways can close.
- Can be bronchodilated by sympathetic nerves,
epinephrine, or related medications (e.g., during exercise which relaxes smooth muscle, causing dilation in the airways, allowing for quicker lung ventilation because
air reaches the alveoli more quickly.
LOWER RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: BRONCHI, BRONCHIOLES
- Bronchi contain cartilage rings.
- Primary bronchi enter the lungs.
- In lungs, branching → secondary bronchi
a. One for each lube of lung: 3 in right, 2 in left. - Tertiary bronchi →→→ terminal bronchioles.
Structure of bronchial tree
- Have less cartilage, more smooth muscle.
- In asthma, these airways can close.
- Can be bronchodilated by sympathetic nerves,
epinephrine, or related medications (e.g., during exercise which relaxes smooth muscle, causing dilation in the airways, allowing for quicker lung ventilation because air reaches the alveoli more quickly.
These smaller airways of BRONCHI, BRONCHIOLES
• Two Lungs: left and right.
- Right lung has 3 lobes.
- Left lung has 2 lobes and cardiac notch (in which the apex of the heart lies).
• Lungs surrounded by pleural membrane.
- Parietal pleura attached to diaphragm and lining thoracic wall.
- Visceral pleura attached to lungs.
- Pleural cavity contains lubricating fluid.
- Broad bottom of lungs = base; pointy top = apex.
LOWER RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: LUNGS
Right lung has
3 lobes
Left lung has
2 lobes and cardiac notch
which the apex of the heart lies
cardiac notch
Lungs surrounded by
pleural membrane.
attached to diaphragm and lining
thoracic wall.
Parietal pleura
attached to lungs.
Visceral pleura
contains lubricating fluid.
Pleural cavity
Broad bottom of lungs
base
pointy top
apex
• Divided into lobules fed by tertiary bronchi.
• Further divisions → terminal bronchioles.
• → Respiratory bronchioles.
- Lined with nonciliated epithelium.
• → Alveolar ducts.
• → Alveolar sacs
• → Surrounded by alveoli.
LUNG LOBES
consist of two or more alveoli that share a common opening.
Alveolar sacs
MICROSCOPIC AIRWAYS
Terminal bronchioles →
Respiratory bronchioles →
Alveolar ducts →
Alveolar sacs →
Alveoli
• Cup-shaped outpouchings of alveolar sacs.
• Alveoli: two types of alveolar epithelial cells.
- Type I alveolar cells are the main sites of gas
exchange.
- Type II alveolar cells, containing microvilli, secrete alveolar fluid, which keeps the surface between the cells and the air moist.
- In the alveolar fluid are scattered surfactant-
secreting cells.
a. Lowers surface tension (keeps alveoli from
collapsing).
b. Humidifies (keeps alveoli from drying out).
LOWER RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: ALVEOLI
Cup-shaped outpouchings of alveolar sacs.
ALVEOLI
Alveoli: two types of alveolar epithelial cells.
— Type I
— Type II
alveolar cells are the main sites of gas
exchange.
Type I
alveolar cells, containing microvilli, secrete
alveolar fluid, which keeps the surface between the cells and the air moist.
Type II
In the alveolar fluid are scattered ____________
surfactant-secreting cells.
In the alveolar fluid are scattered surfactant-
secreting cells:
a. Lowers surface tension (keeps alveoli from
collapsing).
b. Humidifies (keeps alveoli from drying out).
keeps alveoli from collapsing
Lowers surface tension