Histology of lungs

Introduction

• The lungs are sponge-like organs in your chest. Their job is to bring oxygen into the body and to get rid of carbon dioxide.
• When you breathe air in, it goes into your lungs through your windpipe (trachea). The trachea divides into tubes called bronchi, which enter the lungs.
• Here histology of lungs is divided onto three portions as air passage (pipe like structure),alveoli(physiological functional unit),pleura(covering of lungs).
Structure of air passage
Intrapulmonary bronchus
Micro structure of intrapulmonary bronchus

• It is secondary and tertiary bronchi.

• Which has same tissues in layered arrangement as principal bronchus (accept cartilage is not continuously c-shaped) as given in diagram.
 Bronchiole

• They are formed by divisions in tertiary bronchi.

• It doesn’t have cartilage layer.
• Other than that they have same tissues as tertiary bronchi.
• Each enters pulmonary lobule and divides into 5 to 7 terminal bronchiole.
Respiratory bronchiole

• It derives from terminal bronchiole.

• Also has alveolies out-pouching.
Alveoli
Introduction

• About 200 million in normal lung(area is about 75 square meters).

• It’s functional unit of lungs.
• Including capillaries surface area there is 125 square metres area for gaseous exchange
• Consists flattened squamous cell on basement membrane and connective tissue, through which capillaries run, which is called intralveolar septum.
Structural cells of alveoli wall

1. Type I pneumocytes cells are thin layered(0.05 to 0.2 micro metres) lining 97% of
surface.

2. Type II pneumocytes contains secretory granules which makes pulmonary

surfactant (and reduce tension),are 3% of surface.

3. Dust cells are macrophage which enters connective tissue from blood and reached
to lumen; they Phagocyte the dust particles after which they get expelled out.
Pleura

• A pleura is a serous membrane that folds back on itself to form a two

layered membranous pleural sac.
 • The outer layer is called the parietal pleura and attaches to the chest wall.
The inner layer is called the visceral pleura and covers the lungs, blood
vessels, nerves, and bronchi.
Clinical anatomy

• Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS or hyline membrane disease) In newborn cause collapsed alveoli.
• Asthma is swelling of mucousal reaction to allergy.
• Main type of lung cancer is squamous cell carcinoma caused by smoking or industrial pollution.
• Cigarette smoking causes enlightenment of alveoli leading to emphysema.
• Bacterial pneumonia.
• Immotile cilia syndrome causes immobility of Cilia on epithelium.