RESPIRATORY

SYSTEM
LEO EVANGELISTA,MD
Lecture Hall I, JFSM-UPHR
 Respiratory System
• Site of gas exchange
• Avenue for heat and moisture loss
• Sound / voice production
• Others:
– Immunogenic exposure site
– Enzyme conversion
 Divisions of Respiratory Tract
Conducting portion

• Transit of air to and from the lungs

• No gas exchange
• Air filtration and humidification
• Nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi,
bronchioles
Respiratory portion
• Site of gas exchange
• Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveoli
The Conducting Portion
 Nose
• Bone and cartilage framework covered by
skin with fine hair and large sebaceous
glands
• Nasal septum
• Nares
• Pharynx
• Conchae / Turbinates
– Superior, middle, inferior
 4 Types of Epithelium
1. Stratified squamous of the skin
– with large, stiff hairs

2. Transitional band of non-ciliated

cuboidal/columnar epithelium
3. Ciliated pseudostratified columnar
epithelium

4. Sensory olfactory epithelium

Nasal epithelium
• Consists of ciliated columnar cell, goblet cells and
small basophilic cells at the base

Lamina propria
• Thick, submucosal glands (mucous / serous)
• also, plasma cells, mast cells, lymphoid tissue
aggregates
Extensive venous plexus
 Olfactory Epithelium
• At the roof of the nasal cavity
• Tall, pseudostratified epithelium
• 3 kinds of cells:
1. Sustentacular cells
2. Basal cells
3. Olfactory cells
Olfactory Epithelium
 Olfactory Cells

• Bipolar neurons
• Narrowed apical portion extending above
the surface
• Olfactory bulb / knob
• Olfactory cilia radiate parallel to the
surface; very long, non-motile & atypical
• Basal portion tapers into a smooth process
to become the axon
 Sustentacular cells
• Tall columnar, with closely packed microvilli
• Cytoplasmic pigment granules
• Provide support for the epithelium
 Basal Cells
• Small deeply basophilic
• Between olfactory and sustentacular cells
• Divide and differentiate into either
susentacular or olfactory cells
 Paranasal Sinuses
• Cavities within bones, named accordingly:
frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal and maxillary
• Lined with ciliated epithelium that move
mucus blanket toward nasal cavity
• Thin lamina propria indistinct and tightly
adherent to the periosteum
• Sinusitis
 Larynx
• Hollow organ between pharynx and trachea
• Produce sound, a.k.a. voice box
• Closes trachea on swallowing
• Bounded by
– Thyroid and cricoid hyaline cartilages
– Epiglottis
• Extrinsic vs. intrinsic muscles
 Laryngeal mucosal folds
1. Vestibular folds (false vocal cords)
• Upper pair
• Duplication of mucosa
2. Vocal folds (vocal cords)
• Lower pair
• No glands
• Vocal ligament; vocalis muscle
Larynx
 Laryngeal Epithelia
• Stratified squamous
– Anterior surface of epiglottis

• Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium

– Rest of the larynx down to the tracheo-bronchial
tree
 Trachea
• Tubular air-conducting structure
• Reinforced by 16-20 C-shaped hyaline
cartilage rings
• Surrounded by dense connective tissue
• Smooth muscle fills gap between cartilaginous
ends
Trachea
 Tracheal Epithelium
• Ciliated, pseudostratified columnar
epithelium with thick basal lamina
• Numerous goblet cells
• Various cell types
Ciliated Epithelium
• Ciliated cells
– Microvillous border through which cilia project
– Responsible for the movement of the mucus
blanket

• Goblet cells
– Expanded apical region occupied by mucinoen
granules
– Main contributor to the viscous luminal fluid

• Brush cells
– Slender columnar cells with luminal border of
microvilli
– No secretory granules; unknown function
• Serous cells
– Apical granules; produce secretion of low
viscosity
• Basal cells
– Small, pyramidal, between bases of columnar
cells
– Reserve stem cells
• Bronchial Kulchitsky cells
– Also basally situated with vesicles
– Presumed to have neuroendocrine function
• Migratory cells
– Lymphocytes, globule leukocytes
 Bronchi
• Primary or main stem bronchi
• Lobar, segmental, subsegmental bronchi
• Structure similar to trachea up to hilus
• Then, cartilage rings replaced by plates
• Smooth muscles become prominent
Bronchial Epithelium
• Ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet
cells and submucous glands
• Epithelial height gradually decreases

Lamina propria
• Separated from epithelium by thick basal
lamina
• Lymphocytes, mast cells, occasional
eosinophils
Bronchus
 Bronchioles

• 12th to 15th generation of branching

• No cartilaginous plates
• No glands in lamina propria
• Discrete bundles of smooth muscles which
influence luminal diameter
• No goblet cells
• Epithelium consists of ciliated and
nonciliated bronchiolar cells
Bronchiole
Clara cells
• Columnar with rounded apex projecting
above other cells
• Covered with microvilli
• Apical cytoplasm contains secretory
granules
• Protein-rich secretion
• Function still obscure
Terminal Bronchiole
Respiratory Portion of the Lung
 Respiratory Bronchioles
• Very short tubes
• Lined by cuboidal to low cuboidal, nonciliated
epithelium
• Walls interrupted by alveoli
• Gas exchange can take place
• Number of alveoli increases with each
branching
Respiratory Bronchiole
 Alveolar Ducts
• Numerous and closely spaced alveoli
• Distinguishable only by alignment of
thickened interalveolar septal edges
• Atrium: common lumen/vestibule at the end
Alveolar Duct
 Pulmonary Alveoli
• Very thin-walled saccular compartments
where gas exchange takes place
• Rounded to polygonal

Septa: delineate boundary between alveoli

• CT containing capillaries supported by
collagenous and elastic fibers; covered by very
thin alveolar epithelium
 Squamous (Type I) Alveolar Cells

• Very thin
• Occupy 95% of total alveolar space
 Great (Type II) Alveolar Cells
• Commonly located near angles between
neighboring septa
• Thicker than squamous
• Rounded apical surface projecting above the
level of epithelium
• Free surface covered by short microvilli
Alveoli
Lamellar bodies
• Dense ovoid membrane-bound granules
with closely space, thin lamellae
• Becomes pulmonary surfactant when
secreted through exocytosis
Pulmonary surfactant
• Spreads over thin film of fluid coating the
alveolar wall
• Lowers surface tension
Lamellar Body
 Interstitium of the Lung
• Refer to the tissue between 2 layers of
epithelium on the alveolar septa
• Composed of capillaries, collagen and elastic
fibers, septal cells (interstitial fibroblasts) mast
cells, few lymphocytes
 Septal Cells
• Interstitial fibroblast
• “myofibroblast”- contractile property during
hypoxic conditions
• Production of extracellular matrix of alveolar
septa
 Alveolar Pores
• Pores of Kohn
• Openings thru the alveolar septa
• Communication prevents alveolar collapse
despite blockage of a small bronchus
• Collateral respiration-ventilation of blocked
respiratory unit from unobstructed units
through the pores
Alveolar Pore
 Pulmonary Alveolar Macrophage
• Principal mononuclear phagocyte of the lungs
• Monocyte that migrates out of the circulation
and into the alveolar lumen
• Directly exposed to dust or bacteria
• Prominent filopodia and membrane-bound
cytoplasmic inclusions
Smoker’s Macrophage
 Pleura
• Thin layer of CT lining the thoracic cavity
• Parietal pleura
– Layer applied on the thoracic wall
• Visceral pleura
– Layer apposed over the lung surface
 Innervation of the Lungs
• Parasympathetic (vagal) and sympathetic
innervation
• Form plexus around hilus, then accompany
bronchial and blood vessel ramifications
• Influence bronchoconstriction and relaxation
 Small Granule Cells
• Argyrophilic
• May emit serotonin-like flourescence
• Tall, broad-based, with narrow apex and short
microvilli
• Believed to be adapted to receive stimuli from
the lumen with corresponding release of
regulatory substances
 Neuroepithelial Bodies
• Cluster of similar cells with associated nerves
• Resemble small granule cells
• Speculated to function as chemoreceptors
sensitive to oxygen concentration/hypoxia
 Blood Supply of the Lungs

• Pulmonary trunk pulmonary

arteries
alveolar capillaries venules
pulmonary veins
• Bronchial arteries from descending aorta
• Numerous anastomoses between pulmonary
and bronchial systems
 Lymphatics of the Lung
2 main division
• Pleura
• Pulmonary parenchyma

Both drain into hilar lymph nodes

efferent trunks right lymphatic duct