The Respiratory System

• Basic functions of the respiratory system

• Breathing (Pulmonary Ventilation) – movement of air in and out of the lungs
• Inhalation (inspiration) draws gases into the lungs.
• Exhalation (expiration) forces gases out of the lungs.

• Gas Conditioning – as gases pass through the nasal cavity and paransal sinuses, inhaled air becomes turbulent.
The gases in the air are
• warmed to body temperature
• humidified
• cleaned of particulate matter

• Gas Exchange - respiration

• Supplies body with oxygen
• Disposes of carbon dioxide

• Produces Sounds

• Protects respiratory surfaces

• Site for olfactory sensation

 Respiration
• Respiration – four distinct processes must happen
• Pulmonary ventilation – moving air into and out of
the lungs
• External respiration – gas exchange between the
lungs and the blood
• Transport – transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide
between the lungs and tissues
• Internal respiration – gas exchange between
systemic blood vessels and tissues
Functional Anatomy of the Respiratory System
• Respiratory organs
• Nose, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses
• Pharynx, larynx, and trachea
• Bronchi and smaller branches
• Lungs and alveoli
Organs of the Respiratory System

Figure 21.1
 Respiratory System
• Consists of
• Respiratory muscles – diaphragm and
other muscles that promote ventilation
• Respiratory zone – site of external
respiration – respiratory bronchioles,
alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs, and
alveoli.
• Conducting zones
• Provides rigid conduits for air to
reach the sites of gas exchange
• Includes nose, nasal cavity,
pharynx, trachea
• Air passages undergo 23 orders of
branching in the lungs
 The Nose
• Provides an airway for
respiration
• Moistens and warms air
• Filters inhaled air
• Resonating chamber for
speech
• Houses olfactory receptors
• Skin is thin – contains
many sebaceous glands
 The Nasal Cavity
• External nares – nostrils
• Divided by – nasal septum
• Vestibule - anterior opening
• Continuous with nasopharynx
• Two types of mucous membrane
• Olfactory mucosa - Near roof of
nasal cavity, houses olfactory
(smell) receptors
• Respiratory mucosa - Lines nasal
cavity
• Epithelium is pseudostratified ciliated
columnar
• Goblet cells within epithelium
• Underlying layer of lamina propria
has glands that contribute to the
mucus layer and blood vessels that
warm the air.
• Cilia move contaminated mucus
posteriorly
Nasal Cavity
 Nasal Conchae
• 3 paired bony projections
along the lateral walls of the
nasal cavity
• Superior and middle nasal
conchae - part of the ethmoid
bone
• Inferior nasal conchae -
separate bone
• Function - Particulate matter
deflected to mucus-coated
surfaces
The Paranasal Sinuses

Figure 7.11a, b
 The Pharynx
• Funnel-shaped passageway
• Connects nasal cavity and
mouth
• Shared by the digestive and
respiratory systems
• Divided into three sections by
location
• Nasopharynx – superior
portion,
• Oropharynx – continuous
with the oral cavity
• Laryngopharynx – between
the hyoid bone and the
esophagus
• Type of mucosal lining
changes along its length
 The Nasopharynx

• Superior to the point

where food enters
• Only an air passageway
• Closed off during
swallowing
• Epithelium consists of
ciliated pseudostratified
epithelium that moves
mucus
 The Oropharynx
• Arch-like entranceway –
fauces
• Extends from soft palate to
the epiglottis
• Epithelium - stratified
squamous epithelium
• Two types of tonsils in the
oropharynx
• Palatine tonsils – in the
lateral walls of the fauces
• Lingual tonsils – covers
the posterior surface of the
tongue
 The Laryngopharynx
• Passageway for both
food and air
• Epithelium - stratified
squamous epithelium
• Continuous with the
esophagus and larynx
 The Larynx
• Prevent food and drink from entering the trachea
• Passageway for air
• Produces Sound
• It connects the pharynx to the trachea
• Epithelium of the larynx
• Stratified squamous – superior portion
• Pseudostratified ciliated columnar – inferior portion
 Nine Cartilages of the Larynx
• Thyroid cartilage - shield-shaped, forms laryngeal prominence
(Adam’s apple)
• Three pairs of small cartilages
• Arytenoid cartilages
• Corniculate cartilages
• Cuneiform cartilages
• Epiglottis - tips inferiorly during swallowing
 The Larynx

• Vocal ligaments of the larynx

• Vocal folds (true vocal
cords) - act in sound
production
• Vestibular folds (false
vocal cords) - no role in
sound production
• Voice production
• Length of the vocal folds
changes with pitch
• Loudness depends on the
force of air across the
vocal folds
 The Trachea
• Descends into the mediastinum
• C-shaped cartilage rings keep airway open
• Carina - marks where trachea divides into two primary
bronchi
• Epithelium - pseudostratified ciliated columnar
The Trachea

Figure 21.7a, b
 Bronchi in the Conducting Zone
• Bronchial tree - extensively
branching respiratory
passageways
• Primary bronchi (main
bronchi)
• Largest bronchi
• Right main bronchi - wider
and shorter than the left
• Secondary (lobar) bronchi
• Three on the right
• Two on the left
• Tertiary (segmental) bronchi -
branch into each lung segment
• Bronchioles - little bronchi,
less than 1 mm in diameter
• Terminal bronchioles - less
than 0.5 mm in diameter
 Tissue Composition of Conducting Zone
• Changes along pathway
• Supportive connective tissues change
• C-shaped rings – trachea, primary bronchi
• Replaced by cartilage plates, secondary & tertiary bronchi
• Epithelium changes
• First, pseudostratified ciliated columnar – trachea
• Replaced by simple columnar - bronchi
• Then simple cuboidal epithelium - bronchioles and
terminal bronchioles
• Smooth muscle becomes important at the bronchioles -
controlled by the ANS (bronchoconstriction and
bronchodilation).
 Lobes and Surfaces of the lungs
• Right lung has three lobes
• Left lung has two lobes
• Concavity on medial surface = cardiac notch
• Bronchi enter the lungs at the hilus
 The Pleurae
• A double-layered sac surrounding each lung
• Parietal pleura
• Visceral pleura
• Pleural cavity - potential space between the visceral and parietal pleurae
• Pleurae help divide the thoracic cavity
• Central mediastinum
• Two lateral pleural compartments
 Structures of the Respiratory Zone
• Consists of air-exchanging structures
• Respiratory bronchioles – branch from terminal
bronchioles
• Lead to alveolar ducts
• Lead to alveolar sacs
Structures of the Respiratory Zone

Figure 21.9b
 Features Of Alveoli
• Alveoli cell types
• Type I cells site of gas exchangeand
• Type II cells - secrete surfactant
• Macrophages
• Surrounded by basal laminae and elastic fibers
• Interconnect by way of alveolar pores
• Internal surfaces - site for free movement of alveolar macrophages

Figure 21.10b