Lecture: Upper respiratory tract

Question 1

What are the parts of the upper respiratory tract?

Answer 1

Nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus

Question 2

What are the parts of the nasal cavity?

Answer 2

Nasal septum, vestibule, olfactory area, respiratory area

Question 3

What does the nasal cavity do?

Answer 3

Smell, breathing, acts as a resonance chamber for sound production

Question 4

What does the oral cavity do?

Answer 4

Eating, talking, breathing

Question 5

What is the larynx for?

Answer 5

VOICE BOX. Breathing, protecting lungs against food influx

Question 6

What is the pharynx for?

Answer 6

Swallowing, transfer of food. Closes off the larynx and everything else

Question 7

Describe the general structure of the nasal cavity.

Answer 7

Two halves are divided by a mucous membrane called the nasal septum, covered by mucous membrane. The vestibule is the part we stick our finger in. The top third of the nasal mucosa is called the olfactory area and the rest is the respiratory area.

Question 8

What is mucous membrane? where is it located?

Answer 8

Mucous membrane covers the nasal septum, it traps foreign particles and humidifies air.

Question 9

What is the difference between the vestibule and the nasal septum?

Answer 9

Vestibule is much less vascular. it is lined by skin to protect from damage and has hair that trap particles coming into the nose.

Question 10

Describe the olfactory area

Answer 10

the top third of the nasal septum area. the olfactory nerve runs to here for sense of smell. it is the FIRST cranial nerve.

Question 11

Describe the respiratory area

Answer 11

It is covered by specialised cilia that beat in one direction; moves mucous from the lower airways into the nasal cavity.

Question 12

What is mucosa?

Answer 12

A mucous membrane

Question 13

What are the features of the lateral wall?

Answer 13

The lateral wall has turbinates (bones), that we call CONCHI.
Covered by mucosa
Meatus behind the conchi

Question 14

What do turbinates/conchi do?

Answer 14

They create turbulence of air to create a greater warming effect

Question 15

What are meatus?

Answer 15

They are essentially holes behind conchi that lead to the paranasal sinus’

Question 16

What are paranasal sinus’?

Answer 16

air-filled spaces that surround the nasal cavity. Don’t really know their proper function

Question 17

Name the paranasal sinus’

Answer 17

1. Frontal
2. Ethmoid
3. Sphenoid
4. Maxillary

Question 18

What is the maxilla?

Answer 18

The upper jaw bone

Question 19

Describe the roof of the mouth

Answer 19

Consists of the hard palate, which is called the maxilla- as it goes posterior, it joins with the palatine bone, then it becomes the soft palate. The soft palate projects downwards and we call that the uvula

Question 20

Describe the floor of the mouth

Answer 20

Formed by the mandible which continues to grow laterally but not posteriorly. So, posteriorly there is the mylohyoid muscle.

Question 21

Describe the tongue

Answer 21

Has anterior and posterior thirds, separated by a V called the sulcus terminalis.

Question 22

What is the sulcus terminalis?

Answer 22

The V shape that separates the anterior and posterior thirds of the tongue

Question 23

Where are papillae found?

Answer 23

On the anterior surface of the tongue

Question 24

What are the different types of papillae?

Answer 24

Fungiform, follate, vallate, filiform

Question 25

What do extrinsic/intrinsic muscles of the tongue do?

Answer 25

extrinsic: alter position
intrinsic: alter shape

Question 26

Where are our teeth embedded?

Answer 26

Upper: maxilla
LoweR: mandible

Question 27

Which papillae do not contain taste buds?

Answer 27

Filiform

Question 28

Describe the structure of the larynx

Answer 28

The mylohyoid muscle attaches to the hyoid bone. Below the hyoid bone is the adams apple- thyroid cartilage. below this is the cricoid cartilage; this is a ring around the trachea.

Question 29

Describe the folds of the mucosa in the larynx

Answer 29

There are two folds; the vestibular folds and the vocal folds. Vestibular just protects the vocal cords and do not contribute to sound however the vocal folds do.

Question 30

What is the arytenoid cartilage

Answer 30

Attaches to the vocal ligaments and allows for them to move to create sound; abduction and adduction

Question 31

what are the muscles of the pharynx?

Answer 31

two types; external, circular layer that constricts to push food down to the oesophagus
other type is internal and long; they push food downwards

Question 32

What are the features of the nasopharynx?

Answer 32

• contains an auditory tube that connects to the ear, equalises pressure
• pharyngeal tonsils; most superior tonsil

Question 33

What is the oropharynx??

Answer 33

contains all the other tonsils and the tonsils we most commnly talk about

Question 34

What is the laryngopharynx?

Answer 34

wall behind the larynx, forms the opening of the oesophagus