Respiratory System

Respiratory Portion

Respiratory Portion
Found deep inside the lungs
Moves the respiratory gases in and out of the
blood
Includes the following:
Respiratory Bronchioles
Alveolar Ducts
Alveolar Sacs
Alveoli

These thin-walled structures allow inhaled

oxygen (O2) to diffuse into the lung
capillaries in exchange for carbon dioxide
(CO2).

Respiratory Portion
Site of gas exchange
Does not have cartilage
Has gradually increasing numbers of
alveoli

Respiratory Bronchioles
Lined by ciliated cuboidal epithelium
Continue to branch to become alveolar
ducts
Have a diameter of 1mm or less
No goblet cells, Clara cells are present
No cartilage
Little smooth muscle in the lower portion
No submucosa
Some type I and II pneumocytes

Alveolar Ducts
Arise from respiratory bronchioles
Have more alveoli and some cuboidal epithelium
on the walls
Terminate as blind pouches with clusters of
alveolar sacs
Hallway that connects the respiratory bronchiole
to an alveolar sac.
Lined by squamous alveolar epithelium and knobs
of cuboidal epithelium lying on the smooth muscle
cells
Smooth muscle at the openings
The "walls" of alveolar ducts consists of entirely of
alveoli.

Alveolar Sac
Composed of two or more alveoli that
share a common opening

Alveoli
Alveolar ducts and alveoli are rich in capillaries,
which make gas exchange more efficient
Thin-walled pouches, which provide the respiratory
surface area for gas exchange
The wall is formed by a layer of connective tissue
with reticular and elastic fibers covered by alveolar
cells
Elastic and reticulin fibers- elastic recoil and prevent
over expansion
Alveolar cells: Type I and Type II pneumocytes
Neighboring alveoli are separated by alveolar septa
that contains elastic CT and capillaries
Lumina of neighboring alveoli are connected to each
other by alveolar pores

Type I Pneumocytes
Also called type I alveolar cells
Lie on basal lamina
Forms a blood-air barrier that is an important
structure for O2 and CO2 exchange
Covers 95% - 97% of alveolar surface
Squamous cell with flat, dark, oval nucleus
Prevents the movement of extracellular fluid
into the alveolar sac (tight junction)
Unable to divide
Can be regenerated from type II pneumocytes

Type II Pneumocytes
Also called septal cells or type II alveolar cells
Covers 3% - 5% of alveolar surface
Cytoplasm contains secretory lamellar bodies that
are composed of phospholipids and proteins
(pulmonary surfactant)
Surfactant secreting cells- reduce surface tension
Large polygonal or cuboidal cells
Have microvilli on apical surface
Round nucleus
Can proliferate and produce new type I and II cells
Pulmonary surfactant is recycled by type II
pneumocytes or cleared by alveolar macrophages

Alveolar Macrophages
Also called dust cells
Originated from the bone marrow
and circulated in the blood as
monocytes
Helps in clearing particles, excessive
surfactant, out of the respiratory
spaces

Respiratory Portion
Epitheliu
m

Glands

Skeletal
Support

Muscle

Special
Features
and Main
Functions

Respiratory
Bronchioles

Simple
cuboidal
cells with
few cilia; a
few Clara
cells; some
type I and II
pneumocyte
s

No goblet
cells

None

Few smooth
muscle

Alveoli
interrupt
simple
cuboidal
epithelium;
gas
exchange
begins here

Alveolar
Ducts/
Alveolar
Sacs

Rarified
simple
cuboidal
epithelium
between
alveoli; no
Clara cells

No goblet
cells

None

Few smooth
muscle

Air passes
into alveoli
for gas
exchange

Alveoli

Type I and II
pneumocyte

No goblet
cells

None

None

Blood-air
barrier is the