Lecture 14: An Overview and the Upper Respiratory Tract

Question 1

What is the role of the respiratory system?

Answer 1

to deliver warm, clean, moist air to the site of gas exchange

Question 2

What are the key structures of the URT?

Answer 2

nose, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, pharynx

Question 3

The whole of the respiratory tract is lined with

Answer 3

mucosa

Question 4

What is mucosa?

Answer 4

A layer of epithelium attached via a basement membrane to underlying connective tissue (lamina propria)

Question 5

What is the epithelium along most of the conduction region (nasal cavity, part of the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi)?

Answer 5

Respiratory epithelium

Question 6

What is the epithelium where food and air travel?

Answer 6

stratified squamous epithelium

Question 7

What is the epithelium at the site of gas exchange?

Answer 7

simple squamous epithelium

Question 8

What is the epithelium required for olfaction?

Answer 8

olfactory mucosa

Question 9

What is olfaction?

Answer 9

Sense of smell

Question 10

Describe respiratory epithelium

Answer 10

it is pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells

Question 11

What is the role of the goblet cells?

Answer 11

to produce mucus

Question 12

What is the role of mucus?

Answer 12

to trap debris and moisten air

Question 13

What is the role of the cilia on the pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium?

Answer 13

to move the mucus that has caught the debris towards the pharynx so it can be swallowed and digested by the stomach acid

Question 14

What is the nose made of and why?

Answer 14

Mainly cartilage so it is soft and flexible and to have a patent/unobstructed airway

Question 15

What are the nostrils called?

Answer 15

external/anterior nares

Question 16

What is the place called in your nose where you can stick your finger?

Answer 16

Vestibule

Question 17

Describe the vestibule:

• what is it lined with
• is there hair? If so, what is it called?
• what gland(s) are there?

Answer 17

• skin
• yes (vibrassae)
• sweat and sebaceous glands

Question 18

The roof of the nasal cavity is formed by what two bones?

Answer 18

ethmoid, sphenoid

Question 19

What is the floor of the nasal cavity formed by?

Answer 19

hard and soft palates

Question 20

What are the conchae?

Answer 20

three projections pushing into the nasal cavity

Question 21

What are the conchae covered in?

Answer 21

respiratory epithelium

Question 22

What is the role of the conchae?

Answer 22

swirl air to allow for more time to warm and moisten the air and for olfactory detection

Question 23

Where is the olfactory cortex?

Answer 23

area on the roof of the nasal cavity

Question 24

Why does the air need to be warmed?

Answer 24

To allow for more efficient gas exchange

Question 25

How is the air warmed?

Answer 25

The lamina propria have veins which can dilate when it is cold to transfer heat to the air

Question 26

What are the three regions of the pharynx?

Answer 26

nasopharynx oropharynx laryngopharynx

Question 27

What is the pharynx?

Answer 27

Muscular funnel shaped tube shared by both the digestive and respiratory systems

Question 28

What travels through the nasopharynx? | Because of this, what epithelium lines it?

Answer 28

air only | respiratory mucosa

Question 29

Where is the nasopharynx?

Answer 29

posterior to the nasal cavity from the posterior nares to the soft palate

Question 30

What is the role of the soft palate and the uvula in the nasopharynx during swallowing?

Answer 30

Prevent food from entering the nasal cavity

Question 31

What is the role of the auditory tubes and where are they?

Answer 31

They drain here from the middle ear and they are in the nasopharynx

Question 32

What travels through the oropharynx? | Because of this, what epithelium lines it?

Answer 32

air and food | stratified squamous epithelium for protection against abrasion

Question 33

Where is the oropharynx?

Answer 33

posterior to the oral cavity from the soft palate to the hyoid bone

Question 34

What travels through the laryngopharynx? | Because of this, what epithelium lines it?

Answer 34

air and food | stratified squamous epithelium for protection against abrasion

Question 35

Where is the laryngopharynx?

Answer 35

from the hyoid bone to the beginning of the oesophagus

Question 36

What are the paranasal sinuses

Answer 36

they are air filled cavities surrounding the nose.

Question 37

Where are the paranasal sinuses found?

Answer 37

within the frontal, sphenoid, ethmoid and maxillary bones

Question 38

What are the paranasal sinuses lined with?

Answer 38

respiratory mucosa

Question 39

What are the 4 fuctions of the paranasal sinuses?

Answer 39

- lighten skull - increased surface area to clean, warm and moisten the air - sound resonance - infected mucus can block drainage which means the sinuses are blocked