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Organs of the Respiratory System Functions of different organs of respiratory system are described in the following paragraphs.

Nose: It is the organ through which air is inhaled and exhaled. Nostrils (also known as external nares) facilitate the process of inhalation and exhalation. Vestibule is a part inside the nostrils lined by coarse hair. Cavity of the nose is divided into two parts by the nasal septum. The superior and lateral walls of nasal cavity are formed of the nasal, maxillary, ethmoid, frontal and sphenoid bones. Floor of the nasal cavity is composed of hard and soft palates. Cartilage is external part of nose, which forms the tip and bridge. Bony shelves which project from lateral walls of the nose are known as inferior, middle and superior nasal conchae. Meatuses are spaces present between these conchae. Facts on the anatomy of the nose should prove to be useful for readers. Larynx: It is a part of respiratory system that connects trachea with laryngopharynx. The larynx - also known as sound box, is formed of cartilages. Epiglottis, thyroid and cricoid are three important cartilages of the larynx. Other cartilages present in larynx are the corniculate, arytenoid and cuneiform. Epiglottis, an important part of the larynx is actually a cartilage that prevents food from entering the respiratory tract. The flap-like action of epiglottis is facilitated by the corniculate cartilage. Trachea: The trachea lies to the anterior side of the esophagus. It is a tubular structure with 1 inch diameter and a length of 4.25 inches. The length of trachea spans between 6th cervical and 5th thoracic vertebrae. Trachea is composed of around 15 - 20 'C' shaped pieces of hyaline cartilage. These pieces are held together by tracheal muscles. Bronchi: The tracheal tube when divided into two at the caudal end, gives rise to left and right bronchi. Bronchus is a passage that allows air flow into lungs. Left bronchus, which is shorter than the right one, further divides into 2 lobar bronchi; right bronchus on the other hand is divided into 3 lobar bronchi. Lungs: The lungs are a pair of conical organs present in pleural cavities; both the lungs together form an important part of the human respiratory system. Left lung is divided into 2 lobes (superior and inferior) while the right one in 3 (superior, inferior and middle). Each lung has a median slit and hilus. Pharynx: The pharynx is a body part common to both respiratory and digestive systems. It is located behind the nasal and oral cavities. The different parts of pharynx are nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx. Pharynx is connected to skull cavity

by means of connective tissues and muscles. Epiglottis: Composed of cartilaginous tissue, the epiglottis is located at the opening of larynx i.e. at the back of our tongue; it is covered by mucous. Since epiglottis can get abraded easily, (as it lies in the digestive tract) its surface is covered with protective, non-keratinized and stratified squamous epithelial cells. This flap-like structure (epiglottis) prevents food from entering the trachea at the time of swallowing. Alveoli: The alveoli are sac-shaped bodies present inside the lungs. These grape-like bodies are found only in lungs of mammals and present at the end of alveolar ducts. The alveoli functions as an interface for exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the lungs and capillaries that connect with rest of the body. Diaphragm: The diaphragm is a part of respiratory system which plays an important role in breathing. Contraction of muscles of diaphragm results into expansion of thoracic cavity; this contraction of diaphragm is important from the point of expansion of lungs during inhalation. Respiration Process In terms of animal physiology, respiration is simply defined as the process in which oxygen from environment enters the body and carbon dioxide is released. The process of respiration takes place in four stages, i.e. ventilation, pulmonary gas exchange, gas transport and peripheral gas exchange. In the ventilation stage, air moves in and out of the alveoli of lungs. Gas exchange taking place between pulmonary capillaries and alveoli is termed as pulmonary gas exchange. Gas transport is the process in which it moves within pulmonary capillaries, towards the peripheral capillaries and finally, back to lungs. The process in which gases are exchanged between tissues and tissue capillaries is known as peripheral gas exchange. The information about different organs of respiratory system and their functions is described in short in the above article. It provides a rough idea about the anatomy and functioning of respiratory system.

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