AGUILAR, STEVE ANGELO R.

SECTION 1B

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

1. What is respiratory epithelium?  What areas of the respiratory system are lined by this
epithelium? What are the cells comprising it?
 The respiratory epithelium forms a continuous layer of cells that separates air
from liquid throughout the lung. The integrity and function of the epithelium are a
critical requirement for effective gas exchange, the uptake of O2 from the
environment and elimination of CO2 from the organism.
 The majority of the respiratory tree, from the nasal cavity to the bronchi, is lined
by pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium. The bronchioles are lined by
simple columnar to the cuboidal epithelium, and the alveoli possess a lining of
thin squamous epithelium that allows for gas exchange.
 Respiratory epithelium is ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium found
lining most of the respiratory tract; it is not present in the larynx or pharynx.

2. What is olfactory epithelium? What are the cells comprising it?

 Olfactory epithelium is a specialized region of the mucous membrane covering
the superior conchae at the roof of the nasal cavity. It is where the olfactory
chemoreceptors for the sense of smell are located. In adult humans, it is about
10 cm2 in area and up to 100 μm in thickness. This thick, pseudostratified
columnar epithelium has three major cell types:
o Olfactory neurons
o Supporting cells
o Basal cells

3. Differentiate false vocal cords from true vocal cords.

 False vocal cords
o Are lined by respiratory epithelium
o It has numerous seromucous glands in the submucosa
o It is composed of epithelial folds
o Absence of skeletal muscle and elastic fiber bundles
 True vocal cords
o Are lined by stratified squamous non-keratinized epithelium
o Absence of glands, lymphatic tissue and blood vessels
o It is composed of cartilaginous folds
o Presence of skeletal muscle and elastic fiber bundles

4. Enumerate the layers of the tracheal wall

 The trachea is composed of three (3) layers:
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o Mucosa – lined by respiratory epithelium

o Submucosa – lined by dense irregular fibroelastic connective tissue with
many mucous and seromucous glands. It also has a rich blood and lymph
supply.
o Adventitia – lined by fibroelastic connective tissue. It anchors the trachea
to adjacent membrane

5. Enumerate the layers of the bronchial wall

 The bronchial wall has five (5) layers:
o Mucosa
o Muscularis
o Submucosa
o Cartilage
o Adventitia

6. Differentiate trachea from primary bronchus

 The trachea extends from the neck and divides into two main bronchi.
Structurally similar to the trachea, the two primary bronchi are located inside
the lungs. The right bronchus is slightly larger than the left one. Because of
this, foreign objects breathed into the lungs often end up in the right bronchus.

7. Differentiate primary bronchus from secondary bronchus

 The trachea (windpipe) divides at the carina into two main or primary bronchi, the
left bronchus and the right bronchus. The carina of the trachea is located at the
level of the sternal angle and the fifth thoracic vertebra (at rest).
 The right main bronchus is wider, shorter, and more vertical than the left main
bronchus, its mean length is 1.09 cm. It enters the root of the right lung at
approximately the fifth thoracic vertebra. The right main bronchus subdivides into
three secondary bronchi (also known as lobar bronchi), which deliver oxygen to
the three lobes of the right lung—the superior, middle and inferior lobe. The
azygos vein arches over it from behind; and the right pulmonary artery lies at first
below and then in front of it. About 2 cm from its commencement it gives off a
branch to the superior lobe of the right lung, which is also called the eparterial
bronchus. Eparterial refers to its position above the right pulmonary artery. The
right bronchus now passes below the artery, and is known as the hyparterial
branch which divides into the two lobar bronchi to the middle and lower lobes.
 The left main bronchus is smaller in caliber but longer than the right, being 5 cm
long. It enters the root of the left lung opposite the sixth thoracic vertebra. It
passes beneath the aortic arch, crosses in front of the esophagus, the thoracic
duct, and the descending aorta, and has the left pulmonary artery lying at first
above, and then in front of it. The left bronchus has no eparterial branch, and
therefore it has been supposed by some that there is no upper lobe to the left
lung, but that the so-called upper lobe corresponds to the middle lobe of the right
lung. The left main bronchus divides into two secondary bronchi or lobar bronchi,
to deliver air to the two lobes of the left lung—the superior and the inferior lobe.

8. Differentiate a bronchus from a bronchiole

 The bronchi (or bronchus) are the air passages into the lungs that begin at the
end of the trachea. There are two bronchi, one for each lung. The bronchus
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divides into smaller branches known as segmental bronchi, which divide again
into bronchioles, and then again into terminal bronchioles.
 The bronchioles or bronchiole are the passageways by which air passes through
the nose or mouth to the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs, in which branches no
longer contain cartilage or glands in their sub-mucosa.
 Bronchioles are lined with smooth muscular walls that constrict or expand to
regulate airflow and prevent irritants from passing further along the respiratory
tract.

9. What is blood-air-barrier? Components?

 The barrier between capillary blood and alveolar air comprising the alveolar
epithelium and capillary endothelium with their adherent basement membrane
and epithelial cell cytoplasm. Pulmonary gas exchange occurs across this
membrane.
 The air-blood barrier consists of an alveolar type I cell, a capillary endothelial
cell, and their fused basement membranes. Oxygen diffuses from alveolar air into
capillary blood and carbon dioxide moves in the opposite direction. The inner
lining of alveoli is covered by a layer of surfactant, which lowers fluid surface
tension and helps prevent collapse of alveoli.

10. Differentiate type I pneumocytes from type II pneumocytes

 Type I pneumocytes form part of the barrier across which gas exchange occurs.
They can be identified as thin, squamous cells whose most obvious feature is
their nuclei. Type I pneumocytes cover 95% of the internal surface of each
alveolus. These cells are thin and squamous, ideal for gas exchange. They share
a basement membrane with pulmonary capillary endothelium, forming the air-
blood barrier where gas exchange occurs.
 Type II pneumocytes are larger, cuboidal cells and occur more diffusely than
type I cells. They appear foamier than type I cells because of they contain
phospholipid multilamellar bodies, the precursor to pulmonary surfactant. Type II
(Great Alveolar) cells that secrete pulmonary surfactant to lower the surface
tension of water and allows the membrane to separate, therefore increasing its
capability to exchange gases. Surfactant is continuously released by exocytosis.
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