Cell and Tissue Biology of the Respiratory System - Bolender

Question 1

Gas exchange in the lungs occurs where?

What is the common structure found in these locations?

Answer 1

Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs

All contain alveoli

Question 2

The conducting passages of the respiratory system are lined by what?

Answer 2

mucosa

Question 3

What is the purpose of the respiratory mucosa?

Answer 3

Provide immunological and physical barrier

Source secretory products necessary for respiratory function

Serve as a selective absorptive interface

Question 4

What are the three mucosal structures present in all parts of the lung conducting passages?

Answer 4

Epithelium

Basement membrane

Lamina propria

Question 5

Describe the histological features of the nasal mucosa

Answer 5

Epithelium: pseudostratified columnar epithelia with goblet cells

Lamina Propria: prominent venous plexus and seromucous glands

Question 6

The interactions between mucosal cilia and glands that removes foreign particles from the respiratory passages is called what?

Answer 6

The mucociliary escalator

Question 7

Give (5) cell types found in the respiratory epithelium

Answer 7

Columnar cells

Goblet cells

Basal cells

Small Granule cells

Brush cells

Question 8

Name (4) cell types found in the olfactory epithelium?

Answer 8

Olfactory cells

Supporting cells

Basal cells

Brush cells

Question 9

Name one unique histological feature of the nasopharynx mucosa

Answer 9

abunant lymphocytes

Question 10

The true vocal cord is lined by what type of epithelium?

Why?

Answer 10

stratified squamous epithelium

stress/abrasion from turbulent airflow

Question 11

The trachea contains a deep layer (below the lamina propria) with prominent seromucous glands. Name it.

Answer 11

sub-mucosa

Question 12

Prominent c-shaped cartilage rings is characteristic of what level of the repiratory conducting pathways?

Answer 12

tranchea

Question 13

What is the primary mechanical support of the bronchi?

The bronchioles?

Answer 13

cartilage plates

smooth muscle

Question 14

What is a clara cell? What is (likely) their main function?

Answer 14

A multifunctional cell type that replaces goblet cells in the terminal bronchioles.

Secrete protective glycosaminoglycans to protect the bronchiole lining

Question 15

Describe the metaplastic effect of smoking on the respiratory epithelium

Answer 15

Smoking causes continuous irritation of the pseudostratified columnar respiratory epithelia. This induces a metaplastic transformation to pseudostratified squamous epithelia.

Question 16

Define: pulmonary lobule

Answer 16

A terminal bronchiole and the lung tissue it supplies

Question 17

Define: pulmonary acinus

Answer 17

Portion of the lung supplied by a respiratory bronchiole

Question 18

What cell type makes up most of the surface area of the alveoli?

Which cell type is most numerous?

Which cell type secretes surfactent?

Answer 18

Type I pneumocytes

Type II pneumocytes

Type II pneumocytes

Question 19

Give the general components of surfactent

Answer 19

• Phospholipid - phosphotidylcholine, phosphotidylglycerol
• Proteins - surfactent proteins A, B, C, D
• Antioxidants

Question 20

Where is ACE found?

Answer 20

ACE is found on the pulmonary capillar endotheliual cells

Question 21

The alveolar walls are supported by what structural proteins?

Answer 21

collagen fibrils and elastin

Question 22

Name the (4) components of the blood-air barrier of the alveolar system

Answer 22

1. Type I pneumocyte cell body (thin portion)
2. Fused basement membrane of Type I pneumocytes and capillary endothelium
3. capillary endothelial cell
4. Erythrocyte plasma membrane

Question 23

What are alveolar dust cells?

If these cells take up excessive amounts of hemosiderin, what are they now called?

Answer 23

alveolar macrophages

heart failure cells