PHYSCI 107 Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Pulmonary Artery, Hemoglobin, Alveolar Cells
7 Dec 2020
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Document Summary
The upper respiratory system consists of the nose, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, and pharynx (throat). These structures are the first to filter, warm, and humidify incoming air, protecting the more delicate surfaces of the lower respiratory system. The lower respiratory system includes the larynx (voice box); trachea (windpipe); bronchi; and lungs, which contain the bronchioles (air-conducting passageways) and the alveoli (gas-exchange surfaces) The term respiratory tract refers to the passageways that carry air to and from the exchange surfaces of the lungs. In functional terms, we can divide the respiratory tract into an upper conducting portion and a lower respiratory portion. The conducting portion begins at the entrance to the nasal cavity and continues through the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and the larger bronchioles. The respiratory portion includes the respiratory bronchioles (the smallest and thinnest bronchioles) and the alveoli within the lungs. The respiratory mucosa (m -k -suh) lines the conducting portion of the respiratory tract.
