Anatomy and Physiology of the

Respiratory System
Cardiopulmonary Physiology
RC 101
 Objectives
• Describe the phases of embryonic lung
development.

• Describe the anatomy and function of the

following:
– Thoracic cavity
– Muscles and diaphragm
– Conducting airways
– Respiratory zone
– Neural control of the lungs
 Objectives
• Locate on models or diagrams the:
– Thoracic cavity
– Muscles and diaphragm
– Conducting airways
– Respiratory zone
– Neural control of the lungs

• List and describe the defense mechanisms

used to protect the lungs.
– Nonspecific
– Specific
Ready to Dive Into Respiratory
 Development of the Pulmonary
System
• Five Stages of Lung Development:
– Embryonic:
• Trachea and major bronchi formed
– Pseudoglandular:
• Conducting airways develop
– Canalicular:
• Vascular bed and acinus form
– Saccular:
• Saccules
– Alveolar:
• Alveoli develop
 Development of the Pulmonary System
Developmental Phases
• Embryonic Period
• First 4 – 6 weeks of gestation
– Oral and nasal openings are formed from the upper
portion of the embryo
– Formation of the lung begins at 26 days gestation
– From the endoderm forms the lung buds
– 28 days the lung buds divide and grow
– 32 – 37 days there are primitive pulmonary arteries and
veins
 Development of the Pulmonary System

Developmental Phases
• Pseudoglandular Period
• 7 – 16 weeks
– Goblet cells appear
– Diaphragm is complete at 7 weeks
– 10 weeks ciliated cells appear
– 10 weeks muscles, tissue, and cartilage form
– Breathing movements appear at 12 weeks but are
immature
– 16 weeks branching of the bronchial tree appear
 Development of the Pulmonary System

Developmental Phases
• Canalicular Period
• 17 – 26 weeks
– Development of terminal bronchioles, respiratory
bronchioles, and alveolar “buds” appear
– Capillary network is developing
– Alveolar / capillary membrane begins to develop
– Alveolar Type I and II cells appear
 Development of the Pulmonary System

Developmental Phases
• Saccular Period
• 27 – 35 weeks
– Lungs are completely formed
– Alveolar / capillary membrane expands
– Chemoreceptors mature
– During the 28th week, the air-blood interface and
quantity of pulmonary surfactant is sufficient to
support life
 Development of the Pulmonary System

Developmental Phases
• Alveolar Period
• 36 – term
– Alveoli develop
– Lung size increases rapidly
– Mature pulmonary surfactant is produced in
increasing amounts by Type II cells
Development of the Pulmonary System

The Role of Surfactant

• Stabilizes alveolar
surface
• Decreases surface
tension within alveolus
• Allows delicate alveoli
to expand
• Improves lung
compliance
• Decreases WOB
 Development of the Pulmonary System

• Fetal Lung Fluids

• Alveoli at birth

• The First Breath

 The Thoracic Cavity
The Function of the Thorax
• Protection of the heart,
lungs, great vessels,
liver, stomach, and
spleen
• Aids in ventilation – acts
as a mechanical pump
• Composed of the
sternum anteriorly, the
ribs and the thoracic
vertebrae posteriorly
The Thoracic Cavity

Structures of the Sternum

– Manubrium
– Body
– Xiphoid Process
– Substernal notch
 The Thoracic Cavity
Anatomy of the Ribs
• 12 pairs of ribs and
costal cartilage
• True and False
Ribs
• Floating Ribs
• Intercostal space
• Vertebral column
• The diaphragm
 The Thoracic Cavity
The Pleural Membranes
• Visceral Pleurae
• Parietal Pleurae
• The pleural cavity has
a negative or sub-
atmospheric pressure.
 The Thoracic Cavity

• Costophrenic angle
The Thoracic Cavity
The Diaphragm
 The Thoracic Cavity
Muscles
• External intercostal
– Contract during inspiration and pulls the ribs
upward and outward
• Internal intercostal
– Contract during expiration and pulls the ribs
downward and inward
 The Thoracic Cavity
Muscles
• Accessory muscles inspiration
– Scalene
– Sternocleidomastoid
– Pectoralis major
– Trapezoid
– External intercostal
• Accessory muscles expiration
– Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, internal
intercostal, internal oblique (abdominis) and
external oblique (abdominis)
 The Lungs
Anatomy of the Lungs
• Right lung
– Larger and heavier
– Divided into 3 lobes:
upper(superior), middle,
lower(inferior)
– The dividing lines are the
horizontal & oblique
fissures
• Left lung
– Divided into 2 lobes:
upper(superior) and
lower(inferior)
– The dividing line is the
oblique fissure – extends
from the costal to the
mediastinal boarders of the
lung
 The Lungs
• Bronchopulmonary segments:
• Right lung segments
– Upper lobe – apical, posterior and anterior
– Middle lobe – lateral and medial
– Lower lobe – superior, medial basal, anterior basal,
lateral basal, posterior basal
• Left lung segments
– Upper lobe
• Upper division – apical, posterior and anterior
• Lower division – superior lingula and inferior lingula
– Lower lobe – superior, anterior-medial basal, lateral
basal, posterior basal
Epithelial Linings
• Stratified Squamous
Epithelium

• Pseudostratified
Columnar Ciliated
Epithelium

• Simple Cuboidal
Epithelium

• Simple Squamous
Epithelium
The Upper Airway

• Nasal Cavity
– Filters
– Humidifies
– Warms
 The Upper Airway
• Oral Cavity
– Ventilation
– Digestion
– Phonation
• Tongue
– Assists in the
mechanical function of
digestion
– Some humidification
• Palate
– Separates nasal and
oral
 The Upper Airway
Pharynx
• Nasopharynx
• Lined with ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium
• Lateral walls contain openings of the eustachian tubes
• Oropharynx
• Lined with stratified squamous epithelial cells
• Junction and common channel between the respiratory and
digestive systems
• The lingual tonsils are located at the base of the tongue
– Inflammation of the tonsils may lead to airway obstruction in a
child
• This is the area where the tongue can obstruct the airway in an
unconscious person
 The Upper Airway
Pharynx (cont)
– Laryngopharynx
• Lies between base of tongue and entrance to the
esophagus
• Contains the anatomical landmarks for intubation
• Produces gag or swallowing reflexes
 The Upper Airway
Larynx
• Marks the connection
between the upper and
lower airways
• Located at the level of the
4th, 5th and 6th cervical
vertebrae
• Lined with stratified,
squamous epithelium
above the vocal cords and
pseudostratified, columnar
epithelial cells below the
vocal cords
The Upper Airway
 The Lower Airway
Cartilaginous Airways
• Trachea
– Extends from the cricoid cartilage to the carina
– Lined with a highly specialized epithelium
containing several different cell types
 The Lower Airway
• Lobar Bronchi
– Right mainstem divides into 3 lobar bronchi – upper(superior),
middle and lower (inferior) lobe bronchi
– Left mainstem divides into 2 lobar bronchi – upper(superior)
and lower(inferior) lobe bronchi
• Segmental Bronchi
– Each lung has 10 segments
– Lined with the same epithelium, although the number of
pseudostratified ciliated columnar and goblet cells are
diminishing, being replaced by cuboidal cells
– Each one is named for its location within each lobe
• Sub segmental
– Comprise generations 4 to 9
– Throughout these generations the airway diameter decreases
from about 4 to 1 mm
 The Lower Airway
Non-Cartilaginous Airways
• Bronchioles
– Less than 1 mm in diameter and
are no longer surrounded by
connective tissue sheaths
– Smallest conducting airways
• Terminal Bronchioles
– Lined with cuboidal epithelium
and have no cilia
– Average diameter of the terminal
bronchioles is about 0.5 mm
– Canals of Lambert appear
– Cilia and mucus glands
progressively disappear
 Respiratory Zone
• Respiratory Bronchioles
– Consists of 3 to 4
generations
– Lined with low cuboidal
cells flattening out to
simple squamous
epithelium in the alveoli
– Begins the gas exchange
area
– Alveoli are present on their
walls
Respiratory Zone
• Alveolar Ducts
– Arise from respiratory
bronchioles
– Consist of 3 to 4
generations
– Composed of simple
squamous epithelium
• Alveolar Sacs
– Final generation of the
airways
– Exist in clusters of 15 to
20 with common walls
 Respiratory Zone
• Alveoli
– Primary site of gas exchange

– The alveolar epithelium:

• Type I: Squamous Pneumocytes (95%)
• Type II: Granular Pneumocytes (5%)
• Type III: Macrophages
 Respiratory Zone

– Pores of Kohn
• Small holes in the walls
of the interalveolar
septa
• Size is 3 to 13 microns
in diameter
• Permit gas to move
between adjacent
alveoli
 Respiratory Zone
• Alveolar-Capillary
Membrane
– AKA: Alveolar Septum
– Structures
• Alveolar epithelium
• Alveolar lamina
propria
• Capillary
endothelium
• Capillary lamina
propria
• Tissue elements
• Surfactant lining
 Respiratory Zone

• Alveolar-Capillary Membrane
– Interstitium
• The space between the alveolar epithelium and the
capillary endothelium

• Composed of a gel-like substance of hyaluronic

acid molecules held together by a web-like
network of collagen fibers
Respiratory Zone
• AC Membrane
- Interstitium
• Tight space
– Area between the
alveolar epithelium
and the endothelium
of the pulmonary
capillaries
• Loose space
– The area that
surrounds the
bronchioles,
respiratory
bronchioles, alveolar
ducts and alveolar
sacs
 Histology of Tracheobronchial Tree
Mucosal Layer
• Basement Membrane
– Separates the epithelium
lining from the lamina
propria

• Epithelial Lining
– Predominantly composed
of pseudostratified
ciliated columnar
epithelium interspersed
with numerous mucous
glands
 Histology of Tracheobronchial Tree
Lamina Propria
• Submucosal layer of
the tracheobronchial
tree
• Within is a loose,
fibrous tissue that
contains tiny blood
vessels, lymphatic
vessels and branches
of the vagus nerve
 Histology of Tracheobronchial Tree
• Cilia
– Moves in a wave like fashion in the sol layer
– Moves approximately 1500 times per minute

• Mucous Blanket (sol & gel layer)

– Composed of 95% water with the remaining 5%
consisting of glycoproteins, carbohydrates, lipids, DNA,
some cellular debris and foreign particles

– Clearance mechanism for foreign particles and debris

– Proper Humidification
Histology of Tracheobronchial Tree
• Mucous Blanket
– Divided into 2 layers
• Sol layer
– fluid layer
adjacent to the
mucosal surface
– ciliary activity
• Gel layer
– more viscous
– propelled on top
of the sol layer