Week Three: Respiratory System Flashcards
What is the primary function of the respiratory system?
Bring oxygen into the body and carbon dioxide out of it
What are the secondary functions of the respiratory system?
Voice production (phonation)
Regulation of body temperature
Regulation of acid base balance (O2/CO2)
Sense of smell
What is external respiration?
Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the inhaled air and the blood flowing through the pulmonary capillaries
What is internal respiration?
Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood in the systemic capillaries and all the cells and tissues of the body
Structures of the upper respiratory system include…
Nostrils Nasal passages Pharynx Larynx Trachea
What are the nares (nostrils)
External openings of the respiratory tube that lead into the nasal passages
What are nasal passages?
Between the nostrils and the pharynx
What is the nasal septum?
Separates the left and right nasal passage
What are the hard and soft palates?
Separate the nasal passages from the mouth
What are turbinates (nasal conchae)
Divide each nasal passage into three main passageways
Thin, scroll-like bones covered with nasal epithelium
What are nasal passages lined with?
Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
What is mucus in the nose secreted by?
Mucus glands and goblet cells
What are the functions of the nasal passages?
Warm, humidify, and filter inhaled air
What are paranasal sinuses?
Cillated outpouchings of the nasal passages contained within spaces in certain skull bones
(Secrete mucus)
Most animals have two frontal sinuses and two maxillary sinuses
What is the pharynx?
Common passageway for respiratory and digestive system
Why is the soft palate important for the pharynx?
Soft palate divides pharynx into the dorsal nasopharynx (respiratory passageway) and the ventral oropharynx (digestive passageway)
What happens when you swallow?
Breathing stops, opening into larynx is covered, material to be swalled moves to rear of pharynx and breathing resumes
What is the larynx?
Short, irregular tube connecting pharynx with the trachea
Composed of segments of cartilage that connect to each other and surrounding tissues by muscles
What holds the larynx in place?
Hyoid bone
What is the epiglottis?
Leaf shaped and projects forward from the ventral portion of the larynx
(during swallowing it is pulled back to cover the opening of the larynx)
What are arytenoid cartilages?
Attachment is the site of vocal cords
What forms the boundaries of the glottis?
Arytenoid cartilages and vocal cords