Tracheobronchial tree
Encyclopedia
Vertebrate trachea
In tetrapod anatomy the trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that connects the pharynx or larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air. It is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium cells with goblet cells that produce mucus...
, bronchi, and bronchiole
Bronchiole
The bronchioles or bronchioli are the first airway branches that no longer contain cartilage or glands in their submucosa. They are branches of the bronchi.The bronchioles terminate by entering the circular sacs called alveoli.- Structure :...
s that forms the airway
Airway
The pulmonary airway comprises those parts of the respiratory system through which air flows, conceptually beginning at the nose and mouth, and terminating in the alveoli...
s that supply air to the lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
s. It is within the neck and the chest. The structure looks like a tree because the trachea splits into the right and left mainstem bronchi, which "branch" into more progressively smaller structures. The lining of the tracheobronchial tree consists of ciliated columnar epithelial cells. Injuries to the tracheobronchial tree are potentially fatal because they can interfere with breathing
Breathing
Breathing is the process that moves air in and out of the lungs. Aerobic organisms require oxygen to release energy via respiration, in the form of the metabolism of energy-rich molecules such as glucose. Breathing is only one process that delivers oxygen to where it is needed in the body and...
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The tracheobronchial tree and the lung parenchyma comprise the lower respiratory tract
Lower respiratory tract
The term lower respiratory tract refers to the portions of the respiratory system from the trachea to the lungs.Lower respiratory tract infections can be the cause of several serious illnesses, including pneumonia....
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