Airway Anatomy

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to airway anatomy, respiration, and relevant physiological processes.

Innate Immunity

The natural defense mechanisms the body is born with, providing immediate protection against pathogens.

Adaptive Immunity

The immune response that develops over time, allowing for a targeted and specific defense against pathogens.

Cellular Respiration

The process by which eukaryotic cells convert macromolecules like glucose into ATP, requiring oxygen.

Pulmonary Respiration

The overall process of breathing; exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the lungs and blood.

External Respiration

Gas exchange between air in the alveoli and blood in the pulmonary capillaries.

Internal Respiration

Gas exchange between blood and tissue fluid occurring at the systemic level.

Conducting Zone

The region of the respiratory system responsible for airflow without gas exchange, including structures like the nasal cavity and trachea.

Respiratory Zone

The portion of the respiratory system involved in gas exchange, consisting of respiratory bronchioles and alveoli.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs, surrounded by a network of capillaries.

Diaphragm

A dome-shaped skeletal muscle that plays a major role in ventilation by inflating and deflating the lungs.

Larynx

Also known as the voice box, it houses the vocal cords and is involved in sound production and airway protection.

Vocal Folds

Mucosal folds in the larynx that vibrate to produce sound; includes both true and false vocal cords.

Epiglottis

A flap of cartilage that covers the trachea during swallowing to prevent food from entering the airways.

Bronchial Tree

A branching structure from the trachea into the lungs consisting of primary, secondary, and tertiary bronchi.

Macrophages (dust cells)

Immune cells located in the alveoli that help remove debris and pathogens from the respiratory surfaces.

Pleura

A double-layered membrane surrounding the lungs, with visceral and parietal layers that facilitate lung movement.

Thoracic Cavity

The chamber of the body that houses the lungs and heart, bordered by the rib cage and diaphragm.

Olfaction

The sense of smell, facilitated by receptors located in the nasal cavity.

Gas Exchange

The process of oxygen and carbon dioxide being transported between the lungs and blood, critical for respiration.

Visceral Pleura

The membrane layer that directly covers the surface of the lungs.

Parietal Pleura

The membrane layer that lines the thoracic wall and diaphragm.