Anatomy: Respiratory System

respiratory system anatomical division (2)

upper and lower respiratory tracts

respiratory system functional division

conducting and respiratory portions

conducting portion

structures that carry air

respiratory portion

structures that function in gas exchange

respiratory system functions (6)

pulmonary ventilation, gas exchange, gas conditioning, sound production, olfaction, defense

inhalation

inspiration; taking in oxygen rich air

exhalation

expiration; breathing out CO2 rich air

upper respiratory tract

includes nose and nasal cavities, paranasal sinuses, and pharynx

nose

main conducting airway for inhaled air

nasal bones

paired and form bridge of nose

nares

nostrils; external opening of nose

nasal cavity

made up of nasal septum and vestibule

nasal septum

formed from vomer and perpendicular plate of the epimoid

vestibule of nose

just inside the entrance of the nose

conchae

superior, middle, and inferior; form lateral walls for each cavity

sinuses

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

4 paranasal sinuses

frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal, maxillary

pharynx

throat; shared by respiratory and digestive tracts; lined with mucosa; has skeletal muscle for control of swallowing

3 regions of throat

nasopharynx, oropharynx (also digestive), laryngopharynx (also digestive)

nasopharynx

posterior to nasal cavity and superior to soft palate

auditory tubes

opening found in lateral walls of nasopharynx

adenoids/ pharyngeal tonsil

housed in posterior nasopharynx

oropharynx

bounded superiorly by soft palate and inferiorly by hyoid bone; shared by respiratory and digestive systems

palatine tonsils

embedded in the lateral walls between the arches of the oropharynx

lingual tonsils

at the base of the tongue

laryngopharynx

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

lower respiratory tract

contains conducting portions (larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles) and respiratory portions (respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveoli)

larynx

voice box; connects pharynx to trachea

epiglottis

spoon-shaped cartilage projecting superiorly into pharynx; swallowing causes to close larynx opening

functions of larynx (4)

passageway for air, prevents ingested materials from entering the respiratory tract, produces sound for speech, participates in sneeze/ cough reflexes

thyroid cartilage

the largest cartilage; superficial

laryngeal prominence

adam’s apple; thyroid cartilage

circoid cartilage

smaller cartilage of larynx

rima glottidis

space between the vocal folds

glottis

consists of vocal folds plus rima glottidis

vocal folds

true vocal cords

how sound is produced

air through rima glottidis > vibration of vocal folds

vocal range

highest to lowest sounds produced; depends on length of vocal folds

pitch

highest vs lowest sounds produced; depends on tension on vocal cords

loudness

force of air through vocal folds

trachea

windpipe; anterior to esophagus, inferior to larynx, superior to main bronchi; supported and protected by C-shaped cartilaginous rings