The Respiratory System

Respiratory System Anatomy

 Structurally
 Upper respiratory system
 Nose, pharynx and associated structures
 Lower respiratory system
 Larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs
 Functionally
 Conducting zone – conducts air to lungs
 Nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and
terminal bronchioles
 Respiratory zone – main site of gas exchange
 Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs, and
alveoli
Structures of the Respiratory System
Nose

 External nose – portion visible on face

 Internal nose – large cavity beyond nasal vestibule
 Internal nares or choanae
 Ducts from paranasal sinuses and nasolacrimal ducts open into internal nose
 Nasal cavity divided by nasal septum
 Nasal conchae subdivide cavity into meatuses
 Increase surface are and prevents dehydration
 Olfactory receptors in olfactory epithelium
Pharynx

 Starts at internal nares and extends to cricoid cartilage of larynx

 Functions
 Passageway for air and food
 Resonating chamber
 Houses tonsils
 3 anatomical regions
 Nasopharynx
 Oropharynx
 Laryngopharynx
Larynx

 Short passageway connecting laryngopharynx with trachea

 Composed of 9 pieces of cartilage
 Thyroid cartilage or Adam’s apple
 Cricoid cartilage hallmark for tracheotomy
 Epiglottis closes off glottis during swallowing
 Glottis – pair of folds of mucous membranes, vocal folds (true
vocal cords, and rima glottidis (space)
 Cilia in upper respiratory tract move mucous and trapped
particles down toward pharynx
 Cilia in lower respiratory tract move them up toward pharynx
Larynx
Structures of Voice
Production
 Mucous membrane of larynx forms
 Ventricular folds (false vocal cords) – superior pair
 Function in holding breath against pressure in thoracic cavity
 Vocal folds (true vocal cords) – inferior pair
 Muscle contraction pulls elastic ligaments which stretch vocal folds out into airway
 Vibrate and produce sound with air
 Folds can move apart or together, elongate or shorten, tighter or looser
 Androgens make folds thicker and longer – slower vibration and lower pitch
Movements of Vocal Cords
Trachea

 Extends from larynx to superior border of T5

 Divides into right and left primary bronchi
 4 layers
 Mucosa
 Submucosa
 Hyaline cartilage
 Adventitia
 16-20 C-shaped rings of hyaline cartilage
 Open part faces esophagus
Location of Trachea
Trachea
Bronchi

 Right and left primary bronchus goes to right lung

 Carina – internal ridge
 Most sensitive area for triggering cough reflex
 Divide to form bronchial tree
 Secondary lobar bronchi (one for each lobe), tertiary (segmental)
bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles
 Structural changes with branching
 Mucous membrane changes
 Incomplete rings become plates and then disappear
 As cartilage decreases, smooth muscle increases
 Sympathetic ANS – relaxation/ dilation
 Parasympathetic ANS – contraction/ constriction
Lungs
Surface Anatomy
Surface Anatomy
Surface Anatomy
Gross Anatomy of the Lungs

 Lungs occupy all of the thoracic cavity except the mediastinum

 Root – site of vascular and bronchial attachments
 Costal surface – anterior, lateral, and posterior surfaces in contact with the
ribs
 Apex – narrow superior tip
 Base – inferior surface that rests on the diaphragm
 Hilus – indentation that contains pulmonary and systemic blood vessels
Lungs

 Cardiac notch (impression) – cavity that accommodates the heart

 Left lung – separated into upper and lower lobes by the oblique fissure
 Right lung – separated into three lobes by the oblique and horizontal
fissures
 There are 10 bronchopulmonary segments in each lung
Gross Anatomy of Lungs

 Base, apex (cupula), costal surface, cardiac notch

 Oblique & horizontal fissure in right lung results in 3 lobes
 Oblique fissure only in left lung produces 2 lobes
Mediastinal Surface of Lungs

 Blood vessels & airways enter lungs at hilus

 Forms root of lungs
 Covered with pleura (parietal becomes visceral)
Blood Supply to Lungs

 Lungs are perfused by two circulations: pulmonary and

bronchial
 Pulmonary arteries – supply systemic venous blood to be
oxygenated
 Branch profusely, along with bronchi
 Ultimately feed into the pulmonary capillary network surrounding
the alveoli
 Pulmonary veins – carry oxygenated blood from respiratory
zones to the heart
Blood Supply to Lungs

 Bronchial arteries – provide systemic blood to the lung tissue

 Arise from aorta and enter the lungs at the hilus
 Supply all lung tissue except the alveoli
 Bronchial veins anastomose with pulmonary veins
 Pulmonary veins carry most venous blood back to the heart
Lungs

 Separated from each other by the heart and other structures in the
mediastinum
 Each lung enclosed by double-layered pleural membrane
 Parietal pleura – lines wall of thoracic cavity
 Visceral pleura – covers lungs themselves
 Pleural cavity is space between layers
 Pleuralfluid reduces friction, produces surface tension (stick
together)
 Cardiac notch – heart makes left lung 10% smaller than
right
Relationship of the Pleural
Membranes to Lungs
Anatomy of Lungs (Con’td)

 Lobes – each lung divides by 1 or 2 fissures

 Each lobe receives it own secondary (lobar) bronchus that
branch into tertiary (segmental) bronchi
 Lobules wrapped in elastic connective tissue and contains
a lymphatic vessel, arteriole, venule and branch from
terminal bronchiole
 Terminal bronchioles branch into respiratory bronchioles
which divide into alveolar ducts
 About 25 orders of branching
Microscopic Anatomy of
Lobule of Lungs
Alveoli

 Cup-shaped outpouching
 Alveolar sac – 2 or more alveoli sharing a common opening
 2 types of alveolar epithelial cells
 Type I alveolar cells – form nearly continuous lining, more
numerous than type II, main site of gas exchange
 Type II alveolar cells (septal cells) – free surfaces contain
microvilli, secrete alveolar fluid (surfactant reduces tendency to
collapse)
Alveolus

 Respiratory membrane
 Alveolar wall – type I and type II alveolar cells
 Epithelial basement membrane
 Capillary basement membrane
 Capillary endothelium
 Very thin – only 0.5 µm thick to allow rapid diffusion of gases
 Lungs receive blood from
 Pulmonary artery - deoxygenated blood
 Bronchial arteries – oxygenated blood to perfuse muscular walls
of bronchi and bronchioles
Components of Alveolus