Lung Microanatomy Flashcards
What are mesothelial cells?
Mesothelial cells are flat cells that produce a small amount of lubricating fluid. These make up the visceral and parietal pleura.
Where does the pulmonary artery and its branches go in the lungs?
It runs along the conduction airways.
The pulmonary artery carries ____ blood.
Deoxygenated
Where does the bronchial artery branch from?
The aorta
What does the bronchial artery do?
It carries oxygenated blood from the aorta and follows the conduction airways. It feeds oxygen/nutrients to the bronchial tissue.
Mucosae are constantly exposed to ______.
Pathogens
What are cell types of the bronchi epithelial cells? (4)
- Goblet (secrete mucus onto bronchial surface)
- Ciliated (constantly move the mucus up the airway)
- Basal cell (stem cells that sit along the basal lamina and divide and differentiate into other cells in the epithelium)
- Neuro endocrine cells. These are involved in control of airway diameter (brush cells synapse with nerve cells nearby, endocrine cells secrete hormones of different types).
What is primary ciliary dyskinesia (Kartagener syndrome)?
Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), also immotile ciliary syndrome or Kartagener syndrome, is a rare, ciliopathic, autosomal recessive genetic disorder that causes defects in the action of cilia lining the respiratory tract (lower and upper, sinuses, Eustachian tube, middle ear) and fallopian tube, as well as in the flagella of sperm cells.
The main consequence of impaired ciliary function is reduced or absent mucus clearance from the lungs, and susceptibility to chronic recurrent respiratory infections, including sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and otitis media. Progressive damage to the respiratory system is common, including progressive bronchiectasis beginning in early childhood, and sinus disease (sometimes becoming severe in adults).
What does Cystic Fibrosis do to the mucus from the goblet cells?
It makes the mucus more viscous. The consequence of this is that the ciliated cells have a difficult time moving the mucus up the airway.
In the bronchus, what is areolar connective tissue? (lamina propria)
A loose connective tissue underneath the basal lamina that contains capillaries, nerves, and a large number of leukocytes that wander around in the loose connective tissue. Contains a lot of mucosal associated lymphoid tissues.
In the bronchus, what is found deep to the areolar connective tissue?
Muscularis mucosae
What is defined as mucosae and what is defined as sub-mucosae when looking at lung anatomy?
Anything superficial to the Muscularis Mucosae is mucosae and anything deep to it is submucosae.
What happens when Muscularis mucosae contracts?
It gently agitates the epithelium to get things unstuck. Also, contractions help move secretions in the submucosal glands up to the surface.
What are submucosal glands?
These reside in the submucosae and secrete things onto the surface. These are found in the bronchi but not in the trachea.
In the bronchus, what is found deep to the muscularis mucosae?
Dense connective tissue of the submucosae. It’s more dense than the areolar CT but it’s still loose enough for leukocytes to move around.
