RESPIRATORY

PASSAGEWAYS Functions of the

RESPIRATORY
PASSAGEWAYS

Name of member 1
Name of member 2
Name of member 3
…
 I

Trachea, Bronchi,
and bronchioles

RESPIRATORY
• One of the most important
challengers in the
respiratory passageways:
• KEEPING THEM OPEN
• ALLOWING EASY PASSAGE OF AIR
TO AND FROM ALVEOLI
 II

PASSAGEWAYS Muscular walls of Bronchi and

RESPIRATORY
Bronchioles and its control

• In all areas of trachea and

bronchi without cartilage
plates, walls are mainly
made up of smooth muscle.
Walls of the bronchioles are
almost entirely smooth
muscles except the
respiratory bronchiole
(pulmonary epithelium +
underlying fibrous tissue +
few smooth muscle fibers).
 III

Resistance to airflow in the

bronchial tree

RESPIRATORY
• Quiet Breathing under
Normal resp. Conditions:
• < 1 cm of water pressure
gradient from alveoli to
atmosphere.
• Greatest amount of
resistance happens in some
of the larger bronchioles
and bronchi near the
trachea.
 III

Resistance to airflow in the

bronchial tree

RESPIRATORY
• Reason:
• Because they are relatively
fewer compared to terminal
bronchioles (about 65,000
parallel Terminal
bronchioles and only a
minute amount of air passes
by it).
 III

Resistance to airflow in the

bronchial tree

RESPIRATORY
• What about the smaller
bronchioles?
• In some diseases, they play
a greater role in
determining airflow
resistance because they are
easily occluded by:
• Muscle contraction of walls
• Edema occurring in the walls
(fluid accumulation in the
tissue and air spaces of the
lungs)
• Mucus collecting in the
lumens (inside spaces of
 IV - A

Nervous and Local Control of the

PASSAGEWAYS bronchiolar Musculature
RESPIRATORY
(Sympathetic dilation of bronchioles)

• Relatively weak because few of

these fibers penetrate to the
central portions of the lungs
• Secrete norepinephrine and
epinephrine (especially this
hormone because of its greater
stimulation of beta-adrenergic
receptors) and is released into
blood stream by sympathetic
stimulation of the adrenal gland
medullae that causes dilation.
 IV - B

Nervous and Local Control of the

bronchiolar Musculature

RESPIRATORY
(Sympathetic dilation of bronchioles)

• Few of these nerves (derived from

vagus nerves) penetrate the lung
parenchyma
• Secrete acetylcholine that causes
mild-moderate constriction (when
activated).
• Constriction is sometimes
activated by reflexes that
originate in the lungs
(irritation due to noxious gases,
dust, smoke, infection) or
because of occlusion due to
microemboli (blockage in blood
vessel) in small pulmonary
arteries.
 IV - B

Nervous and Local Control of the

bronchiolar Musculature

RESPIRATORY
(Sympathetic dilation of bronchioles)

• May also be caused by local

secretory factors, with two of
the most important substances
that are quite active in this
situation are:
• Histamine
• Slow reactive substance of
Anaphylaxis

*both are released by mast cells during allergic

reactions which may cause allergic asthma (recall
previous chapters)
 IV - B

Nervous and Local Control of the

bronchiolar Musculature

RESPIRATORY
(Sympathetic dilation of bronchioles)

• What happens during Asthma

• The disease causes
constriction of the
bronchioles, and the
superimposed parasympathetic
constriction worsens it. To
address this, we need to
take a drug (e.g. Atropine)
that blocks the effects of
acetylcholine.
 V

Mucus Lining the Respiratory

PASSAGEWAYS Passageways, and action of Cilia
RESPIRATORY
to clear the passageways

• All respiratory passages (from

nose to terminal bronchioles)
are kept moist by a layer of
mucus that coats the entire
surface
 V

Mucus Lining the Respiratory

PASSAGEWAYS Passageways, and action of Cilia
RESPIRATORY
to clear the passageways

• Secreted partly by:

• Individual mucous goblet cells in
the epithelial lining of the
passages (lining is ciliated with
200 cilia per cell, beating
continually at 10-20 times per
second. Cilia from nose to terminal
bronchioles beat downward, while
the ones in the lungs beat upward)
• Small submucosal glands
• Fxn: to trap small particles
opur of the inspired air to
keep them from getting to the
alveoli. They are then removed
 V
Mucus Lining the Respiratory Passageways, and action of Cilia to clear the passageways.

COUGH REFLEX
 V
Mucus Lining the Respiratory Passageways, and action of Cilia to clear the passageways.

SNEEZE REFLEX