The Thoracic Cavity

Boundaries of and Structures Within

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 Cavities

• Dorsal body cavity

• Ventral body cavity
– Abdominopelvic
• Abdominal
• Pelvic
– Divided by Diaphragm
– Thoracic
• 2 Pleural
• Mediastinum

Pg 614
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Serous membrane = Serosa
• Simple squamous epithelium + areolar connective tissue
• 2 Layers
– Outer layer = PARIETAL serosa
– Inner layer = VISCERAL serosa
• Between them = Serous Cavity containing Serous Fluid
– Serous fluid is blood filtrate + secretions by 2 layers of membrane
– Allows movement of organs with reduced friction
• Types of Serous Membranes
– Pleural = surrounds lungs
– Pericardial = surrounds heart, slightly modified
– Peritoneal = surrounds some abdominal organs

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 Pleural Cavities
• Pleural Cavities
– Surround the lungs
– pleural fluid secreted by pleura
– holds layers together
– reduces friction of organs
• 2 Layers
– Parietal pleura (outer)
• inner surface of thoracic wall
• superior surface of diaphragm
• lateral surface of mediastinum
– Visceral pleura (inner)
• root of lungs marks transition
• external surface of lungs www.smso.net Pg 617
 Mediastinum
•DIVISIONS
•Superior
•Inferior
•Anterior (ventral)
•Posterior (dorsal)
•Middle
•BOUNDARIES
•Lateral = parietal pleura of lungs
•Anterior = ventral parietal pleura
•Posterior = dorsal parietal pleura
•Superior = dome of the neck
•Inferior = diaphragmatic pleura
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Pg 614
Respiratory Tract

• Upper Respiratory Tract

– Superior to Larynx
• Lower Respiratory Tract
– Larynx
– Trachea
– Primary Bronchi
– Secondary Bronchi
– Rest of Bronchial Tree
– Lungs
Pg 583
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Trachea = windpipe

• Starts at Larynx and travels through mediastinum

• Located Anterior to Esophagus
• Trachea terminates into 2 primary bronchi entering lungs
• Walls contain 16-20 “C” shaped rings Hyaline Cartilage
• Trachealis Muscle (smooth muscle and soft CT)
• Layers (deep to superficial)
– Mucosa = Ciliated Psuedostratified Epithelium
– Submucosa- contains seromucous glands
– Adventitia – made of connective tissue, contains cartilage rings

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Trachea

Pg 589
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Bronchial Tree
• Primary (main) Bronchi
– Bifurcation of trachea
– Basically the same structure
– Cartilage plates replace rings
– Posterior to pulmonary vessels
– Right is wider, vertical, shorter
• Secondary (lobar) Bronchi
– Each primary bronchi divides
– Same structure as primary bronchi
– Right lung has 3, Left has 2 Pg 591
• Tertiary (segmental) Bronchi
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 Bronchial Tree (continued)
• Bronchioles
– further divisions, < 1 mm diameter
• Terminal Bronchioles
– further divisions, 0.5 mm diameter
• Respiratory Zone
– Respiratory Bronchioles
– Alveolar Ducts
– Alveolar Sacs
• Terminal bunches of Alveoli
• Respiratory exchange chamber
Pg 592
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 Throughout Bronchial Tree

• Psuedostratified columnar changes to simple columnar to

simple cuboidal
• Cartilage rings replaced by cartilage plates once bronchi
enter the lungs
• Smooth muscle and Elastic fibers remain important
• In Bronchioles
– Ciliated mucosa disappears, replaced by macrophages in alveoli
– Cartilage disappears
– Smooth muscle forms bands around smallest bronchi and
bronchioles (not found around alveoli)
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Respiratory Zone (continued)

• Lining the Walls of Alveoli

– Respiratory Membrane
• Type I cells = simple squamous epithelial
cells
• Basal lamina and fine areolar CT
• Covered with capillaries and elastic fibers
– Gas exchange
• Oxygen into blood
• Carbon Dioxide into alveoli
– Type II cells = cuboidal epithelial cells
• Secrete fluid containing surfactant
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 LUNGS
• Located in Pleural Compartments
• Lateral to Mediastinum
• Location
– Apex posterior to clavicle Pg 595
– Base lays on Diaphragm
– Costal Surface = Ant, Lat, Post surfaces contact ribs
• Hilus- medial indentation; structures enter each lung (root)
– 2 Pulmonary Veins = carries O2-rich blood from each lung to heart
– 1 Pulmonary Artery = carries O2-poor blood to each lung
– Primary Bronchus
– Nerves
– Lymph Vessels www.smso.net
LUNGS (continued)
• Left Lung = 2 lobes
– Upper
– Lower
– Oblique Fissure
– Cardiac Notch
• Right Lung = 3 lobes
– Upper
– Middle
Pg 599
– Lower
– Oblique fissure
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– Horizontal fissure
 Specific Location of Lungs
• Right Lung
– 1” above Rib 1
– Crosses Costal Cartilage 6
– Midclavicular at Rib 6
– Midaxillary at Rib 8
– Vertebral Border at Rib 10
– Inferior border 2 rib widths
above diaphragm
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• Left Lung
– 1” above Rib 1
– Deep to Manubroclavicular
joint
– Midsternally to Rib 4
– Jogs to left, continues to
Rib 6
– Midaxillary Rib 8
– Vertebral Border at Rib 10
 Lung Lobes
Pg 599
• Lobes are anatomically + functionally separate
• Lung lobes divided into Lobules
– Functionally separate
– Separated by dense CT
– Vary in size
• Stroma = lung tissue
– CT w/ numerous elastic fibers
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 Other Contents of Mediastinum
• Esophagus
– Pharynx to Stomach
– Passes thru diaphragm at esophageal hiatus
– Anterior to vertebrae, Posterior to trachea
• Layers of Esophagus (deep to superficial)
– Mucosa
• Stratified squamous epithelium
• Lamina propria (loose CT)
• Muscularis mucosae
– Submucosa
• Loose connective tissue
• Secretes mucus
– Muscularis Externa
• Circular/Longitudinal layers
• Skeletal m, Mix, then Smooth m
– Adventitia
• Fibrous CT
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 The Diaphragm
• Skeletal Muscle
• Dome-shaped (relaxed)
• Flattens (contracts)
• Divides thoracic &
abdominopelvic cavities
• Attachments
– O: Inferior Internal rib cage
– I: Central tendon
Superior View
• Innervated by right + left
Pg 276 PHRENIC Nerves
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Action of the Diaphragm
• Primary muscle of respiration
(involuntary)
– Contraction during inspiration
• Increases volume of thoracic cavity
• Decreases pressure of thoracic cavity
• Air moves into lungs (highlow pressure)
• Forced contraction (voluntary)
– Used for defecation, urination, labor
• Decreases volume of abdominal cavity
• Increases pressure in abdominal cavity
• Pushes on abdominal organs to move
contents out
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 Openings of Diaphragm
• PosteriorAnterior
• 1 = Foramen for Aorta & Azygos Vein
• 2 = Esophageal Hiatus for Esophagus and Vagus nerve
• 3 = Foramen in Central Tendon for Inferior Vena Cava
3 1
2

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 Vena Cava
• Superior Vena Cava
– in Superior mediastinum,
right side
– Receives blood from regions
above diaphragm
– Formed from Rt + Lft
Brachiocephalic Veins
cranially
– Azygos Vein empties into it
just superior to heart
– Empties into Right Atrium
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• Inferior Vena Cava
– in Inferior mediastinum
(right side), runs through
abdomen
– Returns blood to heart from
regions below diaphragm
– Formed from Rt + Lft
Common Iliac Veins
– Empties into Right Atrium
– Widest blood vessel in body
 Pg 544
Veins of Mediastinum
• Vena Cava
• Azygos Vein
– “unpaired”
– right side of vertebral bodies
(at level of T12)
– runs superiorly
– empties into Sup. Vena Cava
– drains right posterior
intercostal veins
– Connects to hemiazygos and
accessory hemiazygos that
drain left side
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 The Lymphatic Vessels
• Function: to collect excess tissue fluid collecting at
arteriole end of capillary beds, and return leaked blood
proteins to blood (maintain osmotic pressure needed to
take up water into bloodstream)
• Lymph is moved through vessels
– Pulse of nearby arteries
– Contraction of surrounding skeletal muscle
– Regular movement of body (wiggling legs)
– Muscle in Tunica Media
• Lacteals-lymphatic capillaries w/unique function
– In mucosa of small intestine, receive digested fat from intestine
– Fatty lymph becomes milky = Chyle
– Chyle goes to bloodstream
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 Lymphatic System…The Players:
• Lymph- clear fluid from loose CT at capillaries
– Contains small molecules of blood plasma, water, various
ions, nutrient molecules, respiratory gases
• Lymphatic capillaries (near blood capillaries) 
• Lymph collecting vessels (small, 3 tunicas, # valves)

• Lymph nodes (sit along collecting vessels)-clean
lymph of pathogens, they are NOT glands
• Lymphatic trunks (convergence large collecting
vessels)
• Lymphatic ducts  empty into veins of neck
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 Lymphatic Ducts
• Right Lymphatic Duct (variable)
– Very short, empties into neck veins
– Drains upper right quadrant
• Thoracic Duct
– Drains 3/4 of body
(all but top right quadrant)
– Along vertebral bodies
– Contain valves to ensure 1-way flow of
lymph to lymph nodes
– Drains into left Brachiocephalic Vein
(or subclavian or int. jugular Pg 564
veins) www.smso.net
 Thymus Gland
• Lymphatic Organ
• 2-lobed w/lobules
• Sits on heart and great vessels
• Immature lymphocytes mature into T-
lymphocytes
• Secretes Thymic Hormones: help T-
lymphocytes gain immunocompetence
• Decreases in size w/age
• Functional tissue is replaced with fatty
tissue
Pg 570 www.smso.net
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 Location of Heart in Thorax

• Oblique Position
• Apex = Left of Midline (between ribs 5+6), Anterior to rest
• Base (posterior surface) sits on vertebral column
• Superior Right = 3rd Costal Cartilage joins Sternum
• Superior Left = 2nd Costal Cartilage joins Sternum
• Inferior Right = 6th Costal Cartilage
• Inferior Left = 5th Intercostal Space at Midclavicular line

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Location of Heart in Thorax

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Pg 501
 The Heart
• External Innervation Pg 502
– Vagus (parasympathetic); C + T sympathetic chain ganglion
• Pericardium (3 layers)
– 1) Outer-fibrous pericardium = dense CT
– Serous pericardium
• 2) parietal
• 3) visceral (epicardium)
• Pericardial Cavity
– between layers of serous pericardium
– serous fluid
– lubricate heart while beating = reduces friction
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