upper and lower respiratory tracts (through trachea)

conduction portion

structures that carry air

respiratory portion

function in gas exchange

respiratory system functions

pulmonary ventilation; gas exchange between atmosphere and blood; gas conditioning: warming, humidifying, and cleaning; sound production; olfaction; defense

upper respiratory tract

nose and nasal cavities; paranasal sinuses; pharynx

nasal bones

form bridge of nose

nares

external openings of nose (nostrils)

nasal cavity

nasal septum; vestibule

vestibule

just behind the nares entrance

form lateral walls for each nasal cavity

superior, middle, and inferior nasal conchae

paranasal sinuses

air spaces that make the bones lighter in weight and are named after the bones in which they reside

pharynx

shared by the respiratory and digestive tracts; divided into 3 regions; lined with mucosa; skeletal muscle for control of swallowing

nasopharynx

posterior to nasal cavity and superior to soft palate; opening of auditory tubes found in lateral walls; houses a single pharyngeal tonsil (adenoids)

oropharynx

bounded superiorly by soft palate, inferiorly by hyoid bone; contains the palatine and lingual tonsils

palatine tonsils

embedded in lateral wall between the arches of the oropharynx; tonsils most often removed in tonsilectomy

lingual tonsils

tonsils found at the base of the tongue

laryngopharynx

starts inferior to hyoid bone and extends to top of esophagus; shared passage between respiratory and digestive systems

upper respiratory tract

paranasal sinuses; nasal cavity; pharynx

lower respiratory tract

larynx; trachea; bronchi; lungs

larynx

commonly called the “voice box”; connects pharynx to trachea

epiglottis

spoon-shaped cartilage projecting superiorly into pharynx; closes so larynx can open during swallowing

larynx functions

passageway for air; prevents ingested materials from entering respiratory tract; sound for speech; sneeze and cough reflexes

thyroid cartilage

largest cartilage in larynx; more superior; creates the laryngeal prominence (Adam’s apple)

cricoid cartilage

smaller cartilage in larynx; more inferior

rima glottidis

space in between the vocal folds

glottis

consists of true vocal cords plus rima glottidis

vocal range

depends on length of vocal cords

pitch

depends on tension on vocal cords

loudness

depends on force of air through vocal cords

trachea

“windpipe”'; anterior to esophagus, inferior to larynx, superior to main bronchi; supported by C-shaped cartilaginous rings

why the cartilage is C-shaped in esophagus

mostly exposed anteriorly and laterally and gives esophagus space to expand when eating