Histology of respiratory system Conducting portion

Portion Larynx (hollow organ interposed between pharynx and trachea) Trachea (flexible tube continues with larynx above and bifurcates at its lower end to form bronchi) Bronchi (intrapulmonary bronchi) (Begins as bifurcation of trachea and may branch and decrease in size gradually) #Composed of airways located outside the lungs (primary bronchi, extrapulmonary bronchi) and airways located inside the lungs (secondary and tertiary bronchi, intrapulmonary bronchi) #Extrapulmonary bronchi have the same structure as trachea except smaller in diameter and thinner wall -Lined by respiratory epithelium -Smaller diameter than trachea -Lamina propria composed of loose fibroelastic CT Bronchioles

Mucosa

-2 pairs of mucosal folds: 1) Upper pair (vestibular fold) 2) Lower pair (vocal fold) -Lined by respiratory epithelium (pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium + goblet cells) -Lamina propria composed of loose CT and seromucous glands

-Lined by respiratory epithelium composed of: 1) Ciliated columnar cells 2) Goblet cells (contain mucinogen granules) 3) Basal cells (stem cells) 4) Brush cells (slender columnar cells with microvillous luminal border, less abundant than columnar and goblet cells, act as sensory cells) 5) Bronchial Kulchitsky cells (neuroendocrine function) -Lamina propria composed of loose CT rich in elastic fibres and lymphatic nodules. The elastic fibres condense to form elastic membrane separating lamina propria from submucosa

-Lined by ciliated columnar cells without goblet cells -The cilia gradually disappear and the cells become lower as bronchioles become smaller -The non-ciliated cells (Clara cells) characterized by apical microvilli and secretory granules. The granules secrete a fluid of protein nature that continuous with surfactant layer of alveoli that helps bronchioles patent during expiration -Neuroendocrine chemoreceptor cells present either separately (small granule cells) or in group (neuroepithelial bodies) giving a local active secretion -Lamina propria composed of loose CT rich in elastic fibres surrounded by circumferential smooth muscles

Created by Qosru Iskandariah

Submucosa

Muscularis Externa

-Kept open by hyaline cartilage (thyroid, cricoids, inferior aspect of arytenoids) and elastic cartilage (epiglottis, cuneiform, corniculate, superior aspect of arytenoids -Epiglottis projects upwards and backwards to close the larynx during swallowing -The core of vocal cord is made up of elastic tissue (vocal ligament) and skeletal muscle fibres in parallel bundles (vocal muscle). No gland

-Dense fibroelastic CT with seromucous glands -The ducts extend through elastic lamina (elastic membrane) to open onto the surface -Reinforced by 16-20 c-ring cartilaginous on its ventral and lateral aspects -Each ring is separated by fibroelastic CT to prevent over distension -At posterior aspect contains transversely arranged interlacing bundles of smooth muscles (trachealis muscles) connecting the 2 ends of c-ring

-Loose CT and mucoserous glands

-Smooth muscles are spirally arranged encircling the entire lumen between mucosa and cartilage -Its contraction during fixation results in longitudinal folds formation in mucosa -Discontinuous layer of hyaline cartilaginous plates that become smaller as bronchi become smaller. The plates are distributed around entire lumen giving bronchi circularshaped -Dense CT that continuous with adjacent structures -Lymph nodules are distributed in outer fibrous layer of bronchi

-No cartilaginous plate, no gland, no lymphatic nodule

Adventitia

-Fibroelastic CT -Most feature is hyaline cartilage (cshaped ring) and intervening fibrous CT -May anchor trachea to adjacent structures

Created by Qosru Iskandariah