Introduction, Upper Tract And Histology

Question 1

State Boyle’s law

Answer 1

Pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume

If the temperature and number of molecules remains constant

Question 2

How many divisions of the airways do we have?

Answer 2

23 divisions

Question 3

Define the conducting airways

Answer 3

The first part of the airways: divisions 1 - 16 of the respiratory tract where no gas exchange occurs

Question 4

Define the respiratory zone

Answer 4

Lower part of the airways: divisions 17 - 23 where gas exchange can occur

Question 5

What is the partial pressure of oxygen in alveolar air?

Answer 5

13.3 kPa

Question 6

How do we work out the partial pressure of a gas in a mixture?

Answer 6

Work out the percentage of the gas in the mixture
Find the whole pressure
Times the two together as partial pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its percentage in the mixture

Question 7

What is the saturated vapour pressure at body temperature?

Answer 7

6.23 kPa

Question 8

How do we work out the amount of oxygen dissolved in the plasma?

Answer 8

Solubility coefficient of oxygen multiplied by the partial pressure of oxygen

Question 9

What is another word for partial pressure?

Answer 9

Tension

Question 10

Define atmospheric pressure

Answer 10

The pressure exerted by the weight of the air above the earth in the atmosphere

Question 11

Describe ‘the bends’

Answer 11

High pressure in the lungs causes nitrogen to move it a diver’s blood. A slow return to the surface allows nitrogen to return to the lungs where it is breathed out. Swimming up too quickly doesn’t give nitrogen enough time so it forms bubbles in the blood. These are very painful and can cause an air embolism.

Question 12

What are the parameters of the upper respiratory tract?

Answer 12

External nose to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage

Question 13

Where does the larynx become the trachea?

Answer 13

The lower border of the cricoid cartilage

Question 14

What is another word for nostril?

Answer 14

External nare

Question 15

What do we call the bony projections inside the nasal cavity and how many are there?

Answer 15

3 conchae/turbinates for each side of the nose

Superior, middle and inferior

Question 16

What do we call the space under a concha?

Answer 16

Meatus

Question 17

What is the function of the concha?

Answer 17

Allow the nasal cavity to slow the airflow by increasing the surface area over which it is passing (increased turbulence)

Question 18

How do we smell?

Answer 18

Using the olfactory mucous membrane at the very top of the nasal cavity

Question 19

What are the functions of the nasal cavity?

Answer 19

Filter (mucous/cilia)
Humidify
Warm

Question 20

What drains into the nasal cavity?

Answer 20

Paranasal sinuses

Nasolacrimal duct

Question 21

What are the names of the paranasal sinuses?

Answer 21

Frontal
Ehtmoidal
Sphenoidal
Maxillary

Question 22

What is the pharynx?

Answer 22

A fibromuscular tube that extends from the base of the skull to C6
It allows the passage of air from the nasal cavity to the larynx

Question 23

What are the 3 regions of the pharynx?

Answer 23

Nasopharynx
Oropharynx
Laryngopharynx

Question 24

What is the Eustachian tube?

Answer 24

The tube that connects the nasopharynx to the middle ear

Question 25

What are the functions of the larynx?

Answer 25

Guard air passages esp during swallowing
Maintains patent airway
Phonation

Question 26

Define the glottis

Answer 26

The vocal cords and the space in between them

Question 27

What is the rima glottidis?

Answer 27

The space between the 2 vocal cords

Question 28

Give some examples of things that can cause laryngeal obstruction

Answer 28

Oedema
Foreign body
Tumour

Question 29

How many lobes does each lung have?

Answer 29

Right = 3
Left = 2

Question 30

Which parts of the respiratory tract do we class as extrapulmonary?

Answer 30

Nasal cavity to the primary bronchi

Question 31

What epithelium lines the nasal cavity to the secondary bronchi?

Answer 31

Pseudostratified ciliated with goblet cells

Question 32

What epithelium lines the bronchioles to the terminal bronchioles?

Answer 32

Simple columnar epithelium with cilia and Clara cells

No goblet cells

Question 33

What epithelium lines the respiratory bronchioles to the alveolar ducts?

Answer 33

Simple cuboidal epithelium with Clara cells and sparse cilia

Question 34

What epithelium lines the alveoli?

Answer 34

Simple squamous epithelium (type 1)

With a few simple cuboidal (type 2)

Question 35

Describe the histology of the Olfactory regions

Answer 35

Particularly thick, columnar pseudostratified epithelium
No goblet cells
Microvilli

Question 36

Describe the pathology of CF

Answer 36

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator not present/working
Chloride ion transport across the membrane compromised
Not enough salt in the mucus therefore water doesn’t follow
Mucus becomes viscous

Question 37

What are Clara cells?

Answer 37

Cells that secrete a surfactant lipoprotein which prevents the walls of the resp tract from sticking together during expiration
Also secrete abundant Clara cell protein (CC16) which is used as a serum marker for lung damage (low) and leakage across air-blood barrier (high)

Question 38

New alveoli continue to develop until what age?

Answer 38

8 years old

Question 39

Describe emphysema

Answer 39

Destruction of alveolar walls and permanent enlargement of air spaces
From smoking or alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency
Bronchioles collapse, making it difficult for the lungs to empty

Question 40

What is the most organism to cause pneumonia?

Answer 40

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Question 41

What epithelium lines the paranasal sinuses?

Answer 41

Respiratory - pseudostratified ciliated