Tracheobronchial tree

The respiratory system is functionally divided into 2 zones Conducting

zone & Respiratory zone .
Conducting zone
The conducting zone of the respiratory system consists of
nose ,pharynx , larynx, trachea, bronchi and bronchioles.
The organs and structures in the conducting zone form a continuous
structures and function as a route to carry incoming and outgoing air,
warm and humidify incoming air and removes debris,pathogens.
The nose pharynx and larynx together form upper respiratory tract of
conducting zone.The conducting airways of lower respiratory tract
includes trachea bronchi and bronchiole (up to terminal bronchiole)
Figure Parts of conducting zone of respiratory tract
Figure Trachea Primary and Lobar bronchus

● The trachea bifurcates into two main / principal / primary

bronchus : right and left.
● A main / primary bronchus is the airway which carries air to
lungs
The right main bronchus is 2.5 cm in length and is shorter, wider and
more vertical than the left main bronchus. Because of these differences
inhaled foreign bodies that enter the trachea lodged in the right
bronchus more often than the left.

Structure of main/principle bronchus

Bronchi are histologically similar to trachea
 Figure : Sections of a bronchus

– Lined by pseudo stratified ciliated columnar epithelium with

goblet cell
– A thin layer of smooth muscles (SM)surrounds the lamina propria
– Submucosa underlying the muscle layer contains serous and
mucous glands=bronchial gland
– Contains isolated plates of hyaline cartilage ( in trachea cartilage
are C - shaped)
– Cartilage lies outside submucosa . It provides a supporting
skeleton of the bronchi preventing collapse of the airway.
● The primary bronchi enter the lungs at the hilum and divides into
branches which enters different lobes of particular lungs.
● These branches are known as lobar bronchus/secondary bronchus

● There are three lobar bronchi in right and two in the left lung
● In the right lung the secondary bronchi are upper/superior, middle
and lower/ inferior lobar bronchi
● The right main bronchus gives rise to its first branch,the superior
lobar bronchus, than enters the right lung and divides into a
middle and inferior lobar bronchus
● The superior secondary bronchus in right lung is also known as
eparterial bronchus because it is the only bronchus originating
above the level of pulmonary artery
● Conversely all other bronchi (in right and left lung) originating
inferior to the level of pulmonary artery and known as hyparterial
●

bronchus
● The left main bronchus divides into a superior lobar bronchus and
inferior lobar bronchus.
● These lobar bronchi then subdivide into segmental/tertiary
bronchus
● These supply air to broncho pulmonary segments
 ● There are ten broncho pulmonary segments in each lung and
accordingly there are ten tertiary/ segmental bronchi in each lungs

The structure of intrapulmonary bronchi=secondary and tertiary

bronchi

– Mucosa is lined by pseudo stratified ciliated columnar

epithelium with goblet cell
– Isolated plates of hyaline cartilage is present . **As the caliber of
–

the airway decreases by repeated division cartilages diminishes

and finally disappeared beyond terminal bronchus .
– Discontinuous bundles of smooth muscle separates mucosa from
sub mucosa
– Glands are present in submucosa
Figure Bronchi and Bronchiole

● The tertiary bronchi continues to divide into smaller tubes called

sub-segmental bronchi and then bronchiole
● Each bronchiole enters a pulmonary lobule

Structure of bronchiole
 – < 1mm in diameter
– has no cartilage
– presents a well developed muscle layer(SM)
– Lined by ciliated cuboidal epithelium with no goblet
cell.(E)

● Bronchioles further branch until they become tiny terminal

bronchiole which leads to structures of gas exchange
Respiratory zone
● Structures in the respiratory zones are directly involved in gas
exchange
● It begins where the terminal bronchiole joins the respiratory
bronchiole
● The respiratory zones corresponds to lung parenchyma
● The lung parenchyma distal to terminal bronchiole is acinus
● The acinus is composed of respiratory bronchiole alveolar duct
alveolar sac and alveoli . These structures are actually the parts
which forms the respiratory zone of lungs
● Respiratory bronchiole is the beginning of gas exchange
compartment
– Lined by simple cuboidal epithelium
– Ciliated /Non ciliated
– Alveoli budding from its thin wall
T=terminal bronchiole ,R=respiratory bronchiole (which contain a small
number of single alveoli),AD=alveolar duct(numerous alveoli A opening
in their length,AS= Alveolar sac

Alveolar duct
● Originating from each respiratory bronchiole there are 2 to 11

alveolar ducts
– Straight tubular spaces

– Bounded entirely by alveoli=alveoli protrude from their lumen.

● Alveoli
 – Alveoli are sac like spaces arising from respiratory
bronchiole ,alveolar duct and alveolar sacs
– It is lined by two cell types

Alveolar type 1 cell/Type 1 pneumocyte=

Alveolar lining cell(P1 I the figure)
– Simple squamous epithelial cell

– Forms part of the extremely thin gaseous diffusion barrier

 – Covers most of the alveolar surface area
Alveolar type 2 cell/Type 2 pneumocyte
(P2 in the figure)
– Represent 60% of the cells in the lining epithelium but occupy a

much smaller proportion of area( about 5% only)because of its

round smaller size
– Secretes surfactant (=an oily secretion containing a mixture of

phospholipid)which coats the inner surface of each alveoli and

reduces surface tension within the alveoli; preventing alveolar
collapse during expiration

Alveolar macrophages /dust cell) (M in the figure )can be found on the

surface of alveolar lining cells and in the supporting tissue of the
alveolar septa.
These alveolar macrophages are derived from circulating blood
monocytes.They are responsible for phagocytosis of microorganisms
and other particulate mater evading the airway defences and reach the
alveoli
Adjacent alveoli has common wall=inter alveolar septum .Within this thin
walls are capillary plexus

Passage of air from trachea to lung (alveoli)

Trachea > Right and left principal bronchi (Primary Bronchi)>Lobar
bronchi (Secondary bronchi)> Segmental bronchi (Tertiary bronchi)>
successive division leads to Terminal bronchus and the Bronchiole
(starting of airway without cartilage)> 50 to 80 Terminal bronchiole
(still in the conducting zone)>2 or more Respiratory bronchiole which
marks the beginning of the respiratory zone >2 to10 alveolar
ducts>alveolar sac> alveoli

Bronchi Vs Bronchiole
Caliber
Bronchi has large diameter
Diameter is less than 1 mm in bronchiole

Mucosa
Mucosal height decreases gradually from
pseudo stratified columnar epithelium in the large bronchus to simple
cuboidal in
bronchiole and its branches

Mucosal cilia is numerous in larger bronchus. Gradually decreases or

may become absent in bronchiole and its branches

Goblet cell decreases and become absent in bronchiole and its

branches

Clara cell is absent in large bronchus but present in increasing amount

in bronchiole and its branches
Clara cells have following functions
● They produce one of the components of surfactant

● They are able to divide, differentiate and replace other damaged

cells

Cartilage

Bronchi contains hyaline cartilage that provides support

Bronchiole contains no cartilage

Muscles
A thin layer of smooth muscle layer is present in bronchus
Well developed smooth muscle is present in bronchiole

Gland
No glands are present in bronchiole

Epithelium of different parts of lower respiratory tract

– Large bronchus :ciliated pseudostartified columnar epithelium with

goblet cell
– Lobular bronchiole: ciliated cuboidal epithelial cell with no goblet
cell
– Terminal bronchiole:ciliated and non ciliated cuboidal epithelial cell
and Clara cell
– Respiratory bronchiole: ciliated and non ciliated cuboidal epithelial
cell Clara cell and type 1 pneumocyte
– Alveoli: type1 pneumocyte and type 2 pneumocyte