Histology of

The Respiratory System

DR. IRA CINTA LESTARI, M.SC

HISTOLOGY DEPT.
MEDICAL FACULTY
UNIVERSITAS ISLAM SUMATERA UTARA
Anatomy of the
respiratory system

Conducting portion
cartilage
elastic & collagen fibers
smooth muscle

Respiratory portion
Respiratory Epithelium
Most of the conducting portion ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium

Cilia (C), Basement membrane (BM), Mucus-secreting goblet cells (G)

 Medical Application

Some region of nasal cavities through the larynx

(oropharynx, epiglottis, vocal folds) stratified squamous
epithelium more protection from wear and abrasion
than respiratory epithelium.

Smoker ????
the proportion of ciliated cells to goblet cells is altered
Goblet cell >>
Cilia cell <<
Olfactory Epithelium
Olfactory Epithelium
Olfactory Epithelium

olfactory cilia (Ci), basal cell (BC), olfactory cell (OC), lamina propria (LP)
 Sinuses & Nasopharynx

Paranasal sinuses :
thinner respiratory epithelium with fewer goblet cells
the lamina propria contains only a few small glands

Sinusitis???
obstruction of drainage orifices
immotile cilia syndrome defective ciliary action

Nasopharynx
the first part of the pharynx
it is lined with respiratory epithelium
contains the medial pharyngeal tonsil
contains bilateral openings of the auditory tubes to each middle ear
Larynx Short passageway for air between the pharynx and trachea.
Its wall contains skeletal muscles and pieces of cartilage
for sound production.

Laryngeal vestibule (LV)

Seromucous glands (G)
Vestibular folds (VF)
lymphoid nodules (L)
Ventricle (V)
Vocal folds or cords (VC)
Striated vocalis muscle (VM)
Trakhea
Trakhea

respiratory epithelium (E)

connective tissue (CT)
seromucous glands (G)
perichondrium (P)
C-shaped rings of hyaline
cartilage (C)
 Trakhea

cilia (Ci), goblet cells (GC), mucous glands (MG), hyaline C-ring (HC), lumen (L),perichondrium (PC)
Bronchial tree & Lung
Bronchus

epithelium (E), lamina propria (LP), smooth muscle (SM), cartilage (C), blood vessels (V), nerves (N), lung tissue (LT)
Bronchiolus
Large bronchiole

Smaller
bronchiole

Very small
bronchiole

respiratory epithelium (E), connective tissue (C), smooth muscle (arrow), arteriole (A), venule (V), lymphocytes (L)
Terminal Bronchiolus & Clara Cells
ciliated cuboidal and columnar nonciliated epithelium
 Clara Cells

Dr. Max Clara (histologist) in 1973

They secrete :
Components of surfactant

Enzymes that help break down mucus locally

The P450 enzyme

Secretory component for the transfer of IgA

Lysozyme

Cytokines

Mitotically active cells stem cells for the bronchiolar

epithelium.
Bronchiolus Respiratorius
Structurally identical to
terminal bronchioles.
Except that their walls are
interrupted by the
openings to saclike alveoli
where gas exchange occurs.
Bronchiolus Respiratorius
Bronchiolus Respiratorius

respiratory bronchioles (RB)

alveolar ducts (AD)
alveolar sacs (AS)
alveoli (A)
pulmonary artery (PA)
pulmonary vein (V)
Alveoli and the blood-air barrier
Alveolar walls

alveoli (A)
capillaries (C)
type I alveolar cells (I)
type II alveolar cells (II)
alveolar macrophages (M)
 Alveolar walls

1. Capillary endothelial cells

extremely thin
continuous and not fenestrated
increasing the efficiency of gas exchange

2. Type I alveolar cells (type I pneumocytes or squamous

alveolar cells)
cover 97% of the alveolar surface
so thin
provide a barrier of minimal thickness that is readily permeable to
gases
 Alveolar walls

3. Type II alveolar cells (type II pneumocytes)

interspersed among the type I alveolar cells
divide by mitosis to replace their own population and also the type I
population.
vesicular or foamy cytoplasm lamellar bodies give rise to a
material that spreads over the alveolar surfaces as the pulmonary
surfactant, providing an extracellular coating that lowers surface
tension.

4. Alveolar Macrophage (dust cells)

Found in alveoli and in the interalveolar septum
Type II alveolar cell function
 Medical Application

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) of the newborn

caused by a deficiency of surfactant

associated with prematurity

the alveoli are collapsed and the respiratory bronchioles and alveolar
ducts are dilated and contain edema fluid.

Emphysema
chronic lung disease

enlargement of the air space distal to the bronchioles, with

destruction of the interalveolar wall.
Pleura

squamous mesothelium (M), alveoli (A), blood vessels (V), lymphatics (L)
References