Question

Be able to trace the path of air through the conducting zone of the respiratory system, and identify structures involved in maintaining an open airway and filtering the air

a. What’s the role of different types of cartilage in the respiratory tract?

b. What types of epithelium are found in the respiratory tract, and for what purpose?

Answer 1

a) hyaline cartilage is present in the nose and trachea of the respiratory tract. These are flexible cartilage and can be considered as the precursor of the bone. As they are flexible. The presence of these in the trachea allows the flexion during breathing. Elastic cartilage is found in the epiglottis region. It allows the stretching band expansion of the epiglottis to aid the breathing.

b) there are pseudostrtatified coloumnar epithelium in the goblets cells. They are responsible for the secretion of mucous.

There are simple columnar epithelial cells in the bronchioles. They produce surfactants atgat reduce the surface tension is necessary for respiration.

The simple squamous epithelium in the alveoli is necessary for the diffusion of gases in the alveoli. This is a membrane that allows the gases exchange in the respiratory membrane.