Dr Iram Iqbal

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The respiratory system consists of the paired
lungs & a series of air passages that lead to &
from the lungs

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FUNCTIONS
• Air conduction
• Air filtration
• Gas exchange
• Olfaction
• Phonation
• Resonance
• Regulation of immune response

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The air passages of respiratory system
consists of:
of
Conducting portion
Respiratory portion

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Conditioning of the air....
• Air passing through the respiratory
passage must be conditioned before
reaching the terminal respiratory unit.
• Conditioning of the air occurs in the
conducting portion of the system and
includes.
• Warming
• Moistening
• Removal of the particulate material.
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DIVISIONS OF LUNG
• Pulmonary lobule

• Bronchopulmonary segment

• Respiratory bronchiolar unit

• Pulmonary acini

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NASAL CAVITY
• VESTIBULE
• RESPIRATORY SEGMENT
• OLFACTORY SEGMENT

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VESTIBULE
• Stratified squamous epithelium
• Vibrissae
• Sebaceous glands
• Sweat glands
• Where vestibule ends the Stratified
squamous epithelium changes to
pseudostratified epithelium that
characterizes the respiratory segment.

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RESPIRATORY SEGMENT
• Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium
• Epithelium has 5 type cells
– Ciliated cells
– Goblet cells
– Brush cells
– Small granule
– Basal cells
• Medial and lateral wall of nose
– Role of turbinates

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 BRUSH CELL

11/13/09 SMALL GRANULE CELL

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RESPIRATORY SEGMENT
• Mucosa
– Worm
– Moisten
– Filter air
• Lamina propria (attached to periosteum of
adj bone)
• Swell bodies
• Mucous glands
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OLFACTORY SEGMENT
• Olfactory mucosa
– Yellow brown colour
– Surface area a few sq cm
• Lamina propria
– Adherent with periosteum
– CT contain numerous blood vessels
lymphatic vessels .unmyelinated
olfactory nerves, myelinated nerves , &
olfactory glands.
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OLFACTORY SEGMENT
• Olfactory Epi is
• Pseudostratified
epithelium but contain diff
cell types
• Lack goblet cells
• Olfactory epithelium
composed of 4 cell types
• Olfactory cells
• Supporting cells
• Basal cells
• Brush cells
• Bowman’s glands

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Olfactory cells
Spindle shaped, with round nuclei; (present in the middle
and deep zone of the epithelium.)
• The apical part extends to the epithelial surface, ends in a
bulbous knob which bears 6-8 olfactory hairs;
• These hairs or cilia are non-motile, sensory and serve as
dendrons;
• They are embedded in a thick layer of mucus and parallel
the surface of the olfactory epithelium.
• The proximal (basal) part of the cells form a long thin
axonal process, which constitute the olfactory nerve
fibers; these unmyelinated fibers are connected to the
olfactory center of the brain (in the olfactory bulbs).
• Olfactory cells are modified bipolar neurons.

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Supporting
cells • Tall slender cells make
up the upper third of the
pseudostratified
epithelium .Apical nuclei.
• They are attached to the
olfactory cells at the
surface of the epithelium
by zonula adherens
• Have numerous
mitochondria ,sER & small
Golgi complex in the
apical cytoplasm and
pigment granules
• There are numerous
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surface. 
 Basal Cells&Brush
Cells • Brush cells are same as
present in other part of
conducting system
• Exhibit large blunt
microvalli at their apical
surface
• Basal cells constitute a
single layer of conical
elements a the base of
supporting cells (bottom
layer of nuclei); have dark
nuclei and branching
processes. 

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Lamina propria• .the
The venous plexus in
lamina propria is
continuous with that of
the respiratory regions.
• A group of branched,
tubuloalveolar (mainly
serous) olfactory glands
called Bowman's
glands present in the
lamina propria supply
the necessary solvents
to trap odoriferous
substances.
• The continuous
replacement of
secretion keeps the
receptors ready for new
stimuli.

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PARANASAL SINUSES
• RESPIRATORY
EPITHELIUM
• TYPES
• Thin pseudo
stratified columnar
epithelium
• Numerous Goblet
cells

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 Larynx
True vocal card function
is phonation&
conduction of air.
False vocal card function
is resonance.

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The wall of the Larynx consists of :
Mucosa .
Epithelium -- varies
according to wear and tear
in the different regions of
the larynx
Poorly defined submucosa
A series of irregularly shaped
cartilages connected by joints of
relatively dense fibroelastic
tissue.
A group of intrinsic skeletal
muscles which act upon the
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Luminal surface of vocal
cords is covered with
stratified squamous
epithelium as most of the
epiglottis.
Rest of larynx is lined with
the ciliated pseudo
stratified columnar
epithelium
Connective tissue contain
mixed mucoserous gland
that secrete through ducts
on to the laryngeal
surface’
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 • The false vocal
cords - (located
above the true
vocal cords) are
covered with
pseudostratified,
ciliated columnar
epithelium with
goblet cells.
• The true vocal
cords - are covered
with moist stratified
squamous
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Lamina propria
• Is rich in elastic
fibers. In the true
vocal cord there is
an elastic band that
constitutes the vocal
ligament and it is
adjacent and parallel
to the vocal muscle
in the deeper layers
of the lamina propria.

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• The glands in the • Cartilages -- support the
walls of the larynx;They are
larynx are united by ligaments and
tubuloacinar, maintain the larynx as a
constantly open tube.
mixed (sero-) epiglottis and arytenoid
mucous glands, cartilages become elastic
they are absent • The larger cartilages remain
hyalin (e.g., thyroid cart.)
from the avascular
vocal cords.

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The Epiglottis
• It closes that laryngeal aperture like
a lid, is covered by moist stratified
squamous epithelium

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 Larynx, level 1.
Sg: seromucinous
glands at the base of
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 Larynx, level 2.
Vp: ventral pouch, A: processes of the
arytenoid cartilages, U: u-shaped cartilage.
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11/13/09 Larynx, level 3 C: cricoid cartilage
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 Short, flexible, air tube
2.5 cm in dia
10 cm long
Extent(larynx to middle of thorux)
Function (conduit&conditioning of
air)

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The Trachea
• The trachea is supported by C-
shaped cartilages, with the open part
of the C facing the esophagus and it
is bridged by fibro elastic tissue &
smooth muscle the trachealis
muscle Adjacent cartilages are
connected by dense fibro-elastic
membranes

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Trachea

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Tracheal epithelium is similar to
respiratory epithelium in other
parts of the conducting airway
• Cell types in tracheal epithelium
• Principal cells
– Ciliated columnar cells
– Mucous (goblet) cells
– Basal cells
• Present in small numbers
– Brush cells
– Small granules cells
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Tracheal epithelium

Basal
bodies

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 •Extensive cytoplasm
•Nucleus located near the BM
•Membrane bounded dance core
granules
•Type 1secretion’ catecholamine
•Type 2’ secretion calcitonine &
serotonin gastrin releasing peptide

BRUSH CELL
•Columnar cell that bear blunt
microvilli
•The basal surface of the cell is in
synaptic contact with an afferent
nerve ending
•The brush cell is regarded as a
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receptor cell
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 Wall of trachea consists of four
definable layers

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• Cell types
• Thick basement
membrane
• Lamina propria
containing BALT
• Elastic membrane
• Submucosa
containing mixed
glands
• Tracheal cartilage
and trachealis
muscle
• Adventitia
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 PLAN OF LUNGS

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 THE CONDUCTIVE
DIVISION
EXTRA PULMONARY BRONCHUS

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BRONCHI
• MUCOSA
– Pseudo stratified epithelium (height decreases)
– Basement membrane thickness decreases
– Lamina propria same but reduced in amount
• MUSCULARIS
• SUBMUCOSA
– Relatively loose connective tissue
– Glands
– Adipose tissue in large bronchi
• CARTILAGE LAYER
– Discontinuous cartilage plates
• ADVENTITIA
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 INTRAPULMONARY BRONCHUS

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Pulmonary acini
• Pulmonary acini are the smaller unit of structure that
make up the lobules .Each acinus consist of a terminal
bronchiole and the reparatory bronchioles and alveoli.
• Alveoli are the thin walled outpocketing
• extending from the luman of the repiratory bronchioles.
• Alveoli are the sites at which air leaves & enters the
bronchioles to allow gass exchange.

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Terminal bronchiole
• TB represent the smallest passageways for
conducting air .
• Diameter 1mm or less
• Lined by simple columnar....... Simple cuboidal.
• Cartilage plates, bronchial glands, & goblet
cells are absent.
• Mucosal folds prominent (smooth muscle
contraction)
• Well developed smooth muscle layer
surrounds thin lamina propria.
• Adventia

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THE RESPIRATORY
DIVISION

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BRONCHIOLES
constitute the transitional zone in the
respiratory system.
Involved in both air conducting & gass
exchange.

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CLARA CELL. Secrete a surface active agent (,prevent
luminal adhesion.)
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THE PULMONARY
ALVEOLI

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ALVEOLAR DUCTS
• Are the branches (2 to 11) of respiratory
bronchioles. These are thin walled tubules.
Their wall is interrupted by the opening of
many thin walled outpouchings, the alveoli.

• Epithelium -- not distinguishable..

• Wall -- composed of strands of elastic and

collagenous fibers, and a few smooth muscle
cells which are visible around the mouth of
alveolar sacs.

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ALVEOLAR SACS
• ALVEOLAR SACS -- are composed
of 2 to 4 or more alveoli.
• Alveolar sacs open only into the
alveolar ducts.
• The space into which alveolar sacs
open in the alveolar duct is called the
atrium.

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THE ALVEOLUS
• . THE ALVEOLUS -- is a thin walled
polyhedral sac which opens on one
side only into the alveolar sac or
individually into an alveolar duct
• Number(150-250million/adult lung)
• Surface area(75mm) roughly the size
of tennis court.
• Diameter(.2mm)
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THE ALVEOLUS
• The alveolar epithelium is composed
oftype l and type ll alveolar cells&
occasional brush cells
• The extremely thin squamous
pulmonary epithelial cells (Type I
pneumocytes);95%
• Joined by occluding junction,,,,not capable of cell division

• The rounded great alveolar cells

(Type II pneumocytes).5%,
• Secretary cells,,,bulge into the air space,,,cytoplasm filled with
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granules’’’
 ALVEOLAR CELLS

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Function
• Type II pneumocytes secrete pulmonary
surfactant .
• The faulty production or absence of surfactant in
newborns results in the fetal distress
syndrome (hyalin membrane disease)
• Ttpe ll are progenitorcells for type l
• Type I pneumocytes function as lining cells of
alveoli and thought to have the potential of
differentiating into Type II pneumocytes.

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Alveolar phagocytes
• Pulmonary or lung macrophages, also
known as dust cells.
• a. Originate from blood borne
monocytes;
• b. Migrate into interstitium (C.T.) of lung
and from there into the alveoli;
• c. Similar to other macrophages;
• d. Function in the removal of cell debris
and foreign material (e.g. dust) from the
lung.
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 ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES
(DUST CELLS)

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BLOOD CIRCULATION OF
LUNGS

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 LYMPHATICS OF LUNGS

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 REFERENCES
Text & Atlas Of Histology By MICHAEL
H. ROSS 5th Edition.
BAILEY’S Textbook Of Microscopic
Anatomy 18th Edition.
Google search for images
www.bu.edu/histology/i/10801hoa.jpg
anatomy.iupui.edu/.../Respsystemf04/ty
peII.jpg

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