The Respiratory System

Functions
Surface area for gaseous exchange
Moving air between gas exchange
surfaces and environment
Protection of respiratory surfaces
Sound production
Facilitates detection of olfactory
stimuli

http://www.medical-exam-essentials.com/images/Respiratory_system2.jpg

The Respiratory System

Upper

Nose
Nasal cavity
Paranasal sinuses
Pharynx

Lower

Larynx
Trachea
Bronchi
Bronchioles
Alveoli

The Respiratory Mucosa

Mucous membrane of epithelium and
areolar tissue
Upper tract, trachea & bronchi
pseudostratified ciliated columnar
Small Bronchioles simple cuboidal
with scattered cilia
Alveoli simple squamous

The Respiratory Mucosa

Upper Tract, Trachea and Bronchi
Cleans
mucus & cilia

Humidifies
water vapour from
mucus

Warms inhaled air

blood below
epithelium

Mechanism of Mucus Movement

http://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/pages/int
eractiveElearning.asp?elearning
=cilia

The Respiratory Mucosa

Small Bronchioles
Cleans
Mucus and cilia

The Respiratory Mucosa

Alveoli
Gaseous exchange

The Respiratory System

Internal nares

Nasal Vestibule
External nares

Nasal Septum
Divides the nasal
cavity into left and
right portions
Formed by
hyaline cartilage
(anterior) and
fusion of the
perpendicular plate
of the ethmoid bone
and the vomer bone

Bones of the Nasal Cavity

Lateral and Superior
walls made up of the:

Maxillary
Nasal
Frontal
Ethmoid &
Sphenoid Bones

The hard palate (floor

of nasal cavity) is
made up of:
Portions of the
maxillary and palatine
bones

The Soft Palate

Extends posteriorly
to the hard palate
Marks the
boundary between
the nasopharynx
and the
oropharynx

Olfactory Region
Areas lined by olfactory epithelium
Receptors in the Olfactory epithelium provide your sense of
smell
Includes:

Inferior surface of the cribriform plate

Superior portion of the nasal septum
Superior nasal conchae

Nasal Conchae (Turbinates) and

Meatuses
The superior, middle
and inferior conchae
project toward the
nasal septum from
the lateral walls of
the nasal cavity
Air passes between
adjacent conchae,
through the
superior, middle and
inferior meatuses

Superior (1), Middle (2) and

Inferior (3) Meatuses

Function of the Meatuses

Creates turbulence of incoming air
Allows for efficient cleaning of air
Allows for sufficient warming and
humidifying of air
Creates eddy currents that bring
olfactory stimuli to the olfactory
receptors

Paranasal Sinuses
Make skull lighter
Resonance chambers
Lined by mucous
membrane
Mucus keeps nasal
cavity clean and
moist

Osteomeatal ducts
lead into nasal
cavity

Paranasal Sinuses

Nasolacrimal Duct
Delivers tears to
nasal cavity into
inferior nasal
concha
Keeps nasal cavity
moist and clean

The Pharynx

The Pharynx
Nasopharynx
superior portion of pharynx;
separated from oral cavity by the soft
palate
Lined by pseudostratified ciliated
columnar epithelium
Pharyngeal tonsil on posterior wall
Opening to the Eustachian tube on
lateral walls

The Pharynx
Oropharynx
Extends between the soft palate and the
base of the tongue at the level of the
hyoid bone
Posterior to oral cavity
Stratified squamous epithelium

The Pharynx
Laryngopharynx
Inferior part of the pharynx
Lies between the hyoid bone and the
entrance to the larynx and oesophagus
Stratified squamous epithelium

The Larynx
A cartilaginous
structure that
surrounds and
protects the glottis
Begins at veretbra C4
or C5 and ends at C6
Has incomplete
cartilaginous walls
stabilized by
ligaments and
muscles

The Larynx

Cartilages of the Larynx

Three large, unpaired cartilages form
the larynx
Thyroid cartilage
Cricoid cartilage
Epiglottis

Cartilages of the Larynx

Thyroid Cartilage

Largest
Hyaline cartilage
Forms most of the
anterior and lateral
walls of the larynx
Incomplete posteriorly
Anterior surface forms
the Laryngeal
Prominence (Adams
Apple)
Protects the glottis and
entrance to the trachea

Cartilages of the Larynx

Cricoid Cartilage
Hyaline cartilage
Inferior to thyroid
cartilage
Posterior greatly
expanded
Supports thyroid
cartilage
Protects glottis and
opening to the
trachea