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BRS - Cardio > Structure + Function of Airways > Flashcards

Structure + Function of Airways Flashcards

1
Q

What kind of branching do the airways have?

A

dichotomous branching

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2
Q

How is the trachea held open?

A

using cartilage

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3
Q

Why does the trachea have a gap in the back?

A

gap for the oesophagus

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4
Q

How are the lungs sectioned off?

A

superior lobes, middle lobes, inferior lobes

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5
Q

How is the trachea sectioned off?

A

trachea → primary bronchi → secondary (lobar) bronchi → tertiary (segmental) bronchi → bronchioles

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6
Q

What is the pathway of air from the bronchioles to the alveoli?

A

terminal bronchiole → respiratory bronchiole → alveoli duct → alveoli

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7
Q

What cells are found in the alveolar region?

A

→ type 1 cell
→ type 2 cell
→ macrophages
→ stromal cells (fibroblasts)

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8
Q

Why do alveoli have intimate contact with the capillary endothelium?

A

to allow for gas exchange across the two membranes

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9
Q

What is a Type 1 cell?

A

makes up the walls, very thin + delicate barrier for gas exchange

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10
Q

What is a Type 2 cell?

A

replicates to replace type 1 cells, secretes surfactant + antiproteases, has xenobiotic metabolism

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11
Q

Why do Type 2 cells secrete surfactant?

A

to reduce surface tension - prevents collapse of the alveolus + prevents sticking together of inner walls

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12
Q

Why are fibroblasts present in the alveoli?

A

produce the matrix that holds alveoli together

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13
Q

What percentage of alveolar surfaces are covered in Type 1 + 2 cells respectively?

A

Type 1 = 95%

Type 2 = 5%

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14
Q

Are there more Type 1 cells or Type 2 cells?

A

Type 2

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15
Q

What are the basic functions of the airways?

A

gas exchange (conduct O2 to alveoli, conduct CO2 out of lung)

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16
Q

What 3 factors facilitate the functions of the airways?

A

→ mechanical stability (cartilage)
→ control of calibre (smooth muscle)
→ protection + ‘cleansing’

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17
Q

What are the 2 main nasal passageways?

A

pharynx + conchae

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18
Q

What are the 3 regions of the pharynx?

A

nasopharynx, oropharynx, laryngopharynx

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19
Q

What is the purpose of the pharynx as a passageway?

A

foods, liquids + air

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20
Q

What is the purpose of the conchae as a passageway?

A

highly vascular - contributes to warming + humidification of intra-nasally-inhaled air - nasal hairs filter out large particles

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21
Q

What is the organisation of airway structures? (from out to in)

A

→ smooth muscle cells + mast cells
→ submucosal glands + blood vessels + fibroblasts
→ epithelial ciliated cells + goblet cells
→ airway lumen

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22
Q

What are the 7 airway call types?

A 
→ lining
→ contractile
→ secretory
→ connective
→ neuroendocrine
→ vascular
→ immune
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23
Q

What are examples of lining cells?

A

ciliated, intermediate, brush basal

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24
Q

What are examples of contractile cells?

A

Smooth muscle (airway, vasculature)

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25
What are examples of secretory cells?
Goblet (epithelium), mucous, serous (glands)
26
What are examples of connective cells?
Fibroblast, interstitial cell (elastin, collagen, cartilage)
27
What are examples of neuroendocrine cells?
Nerves, ganglia, neuroendocrine cells, neuroepithelial bodies
28
What are examples of vascular cells?
Endothelial, pericyte, plasma cell (+ smooth muscle)
29
What are examples of immune cells?
Mast cell, dendritic cell, lymphocyte, eosinophil, macrophage, neutrophil
30
What is the main purpose of goblet cells?
secrete mucus in order to protect the mucous membranes
31
How do goblet cells accomplish their main purpose?
secreting mucins continuously in order to repair + replace existing mucus layer
32
What is a mucin?
large glycoproteins formed mostly by carbohydrates
33
What's responsible for the gel-like properties of mucin?
glycans (bound carbohydrates) - attracting relatively large quantities of water
34
How are mucins stored?
stored in in granules onside the goblet cells before being released to the lumen of the organ
35
How is mucin secretion stimulated?
stimulated by irritants e.g. dust + smoke
36
How is mucus in the airways swept away?
→ mucociliary clearance - cilia of the respiratory endothelium → propelled form lungs + out of pharynx
37
What are the benefits of mucociliary clearance?
results in removal of debris + pathogens
38
What are submucosal glands made up of?
mucous acini + serious acini
39
What is an acini?
any cluster of cells that resembles a many-lobed "berry"
40
What do the mucous acini + serious acini do?
``` m = secrete mucus s = secrete anti-bacterial ```
41
What function do the submucosal glands have?
→ secretion of mucus, water + salts (e.g. Na+ + Cl-) → physical barriers → production of regulatory + inflammatory mediators
42
What are the regulatory + inflammatory mediators released by submucosal glands?
``` → Nitric oxide (NO) → Carbon monoxide (CO) → Arachidonic acid metabolites (e.g. prostaglandins via COX) → Chemokines (e.g. (IL)-8 ) → Cytokines (e.g. GM-CSF) → Proteases ```
43
How is nitric oxide produced in the airways?
via nitric oxide synthase
44
How is carbon monoxide produced in the airways?
via hemeoxygenase
45
What staining can be used to identify NOS?
brown staining
46
What happens to the structure of airway smooth muscle due to inflammation?
hypertrophy + proliferation
47
What happens to the tone of airway smooth muscle due to inflammation?
contraction + relaxation
48
What does airway smooth muscle secrete in response to inflammation?
mediators + cytokines + chemokines
49
What role does airway smooth muscle play in asthma?
airway narrowing
50
What percentage of tracheo-bronchial circulation makes up cardiac output ?
1-5%
51
What is the approx blood flow to airway mucosa?
100-150 mL/min/100g tissue
52
Where do bronchial arteries arise from?
many sites on the aorta, intercostal arteries, etc.
53
What vessels return blood from tracheal circulation?
systemic veins
54
What vessels return blood from bronchial circulation?
bronchial + pulmonary veins to both sides of the heart
55
What are some purposes of tracheo-bronchial circulation?
→ good gas exchange → contributes to warming + humidification of inspired air → clears inflammatory mediators → clears inhaled drugs (good/bad, depending on drug → supplies airway tissue + lumen w/ inflammatory cells → supplies airway tissue + lumen w/ proteinaceous plasma)
56
What nerves control airway function?
→ parasympathetic (cholinergic) → sympathetic (adrenergic?) → sensory
57
What regulatory + inflammatory mediators control airway function?
→ histamine → arachidonic acid metabolites (e.g. prostaglandins, leukotrienes) → cytokines → chemokines
58
What other aspects control airway function?
→ proteinases + proteases (neutrophil elastase) | → reactive gas species (e.g. O2, NO)
59
What main nerve does a lot of innervation for the airways?
vagus (X)
60
What afferent pathways run through the vagus nerve?
sensory neurones from sub-cerebral nodose + jugular ganglion
61
What efferent pathways run through the vagus nerve?
parasympathetic 'motor' (cholinergic) neurones
62
Are there any sympathetic pathways for the control of the airways?
no <3
63
What is the main parasympathetic neurotransmitter in the airways?
Acetylcholine - regulated bronchoconstriction - mucus secretion
64
What nervous pathways cause airway constriction?
parasympathetic
65
What nervous pathways cause the airways to relax?
nerves that release nitric oxide
66
What 5 regulatory-inflammatory cells are usually present in the airways?
``` → eosinophils → neutrophils → macrophages → mast cells → T-lymphocytes ```
67
What are the functions of the regulatory-inflammatory cells?
* Contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle * Secretions (mucin, water etc) * Plasma exudation * Neural modulation * Chemotaxis * Remodelling
68
What respiratory diseases involve loss of airway control?
* asthma * chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) * cystic fibrosis
69
What is asthma?
clinical syndrome characterised by increased airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli
70
What are symptoms of asthma?
* dyspnoea (shortness of breath) * wheezing * cough
71
What are the consequences of asthma?
leads to airway obstruction, mucus hypersecretion, mucus plugs etc.

BRS - Cardio (15 decks)

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