Airway Anatomy
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Respiratory
- Respiratory Overview
- Airway Anatomy
- Alveoli
- Breathing Mechanics
- Gas Exchange in Tissues
- Nervous Control of Breathing
- Respiratory Defense Systems
- Respiratory Airway
- Path of airflow during inspiration
- → Pharynx (throat)
- passageway for food and air
- → Larynx (voicebox)
- Contains vocal cords
- Entrance covered by epiglottis, a small piece of tissue that automatically closes when swallowing to prevent food/drink from entering airway
- → Trachea (windpipe)
- main airway
- Composed of ringed cartilage covered by ciliated mucous cells
- → Bronchi & Bronchioles
- Trachea branches into left and right bronchi before entering two lungs
- Each bronchus then branches many times to become bronchioles
- Called bronchial tree, as branching resembles upside-down tree
- → Alveoli
- Bronchioles terminate in grape-like clusters called alveolar sacs, composed of alveoli
- Wrapped in capillaries
- → Pharynx (throat)
- Path of airflow during inspiration