ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Introduction to function bronchi

Bronchi are the respiratory tracts airway passages helping the lungs with the conduction of air. It is that part of the lungs, where gaseous exchange does not take place. The branches of the bronchi are the bronchioles, which terminate in alveoli after entering the air sacs. Bronchi are the passages that are present beyond the windpipe, the trachea, which has mucous glands and cartilage present on their walls. Bronchi helps in the passage of air from the trachea to the air sacs, the alveoli present within the lungs, where the actual process of gas exchange takes place.

Bronchi and its Functions in the Respiratory System:

Bronchi, the air passages, are the components of the lungs where the air is entered into the lung and sent to both the lungs. These bronchi are cartilage rings found in C shape and are lined with mucus membrane helping in the sweeping of the dust particles. These primary bronchi as they enter the lungs are branched to form secondary bronchi, while these secondary bronchi further divide to form bronchioles. The further division of the secondary bronchi and the bronchioles makes the walls of the bronchi more thin and elastic. These structures are branched further into very tiny air sacs, the alveoli, and the part of the lungs where gaseous exchange takes place. The alveoli and the alveolar ducts are composed of the squamosed epithelium permitting the diffusion of the gases carbon dioxide and oxygen at a rapid rate.

Various Cells Present in the Walls of the Bronchus and their Functions
Ciliated cells: The bronchi with the help of ciliated cells helps as an important protective mechanism and helps in the removal of small dirt or dust particles that are inhaled. Goblet or the mucus cells, which are interspersed with the ciliated cells, function as the mucinsecreting glands. To conclude, Bronchus is a part of the trachea linked to the respiratory system that send air into both the lungs and are held open with the help of cartilage. The mucous membrane and the ciliated cells present on the walls of the bronchus functions and helps in the trapping of the dirt and the ultimate removal of the dirt or the dust particles that enters through the nose. The trachea (windpipe) divides into two main bronchi (also mainstem bronchi), the left and the right, at the level of the sternal angle at the anatomical point known as the carina. The right main bronchus is wider, shorter, and more vertical than the left main bronchus. The right main bronchus subdivides into three lobar bronchi while the left main bronchus divides into two. The lobar bronchi divide into tertiary bronchi, also known as segmental bronchi, each of which supplies a bronchopulmonary segment. A bronchopulmonary segment is a division of a lung that is separated from the rest of the lung by a connective tissue septum.. This property allows a bronchopulmonary segment to be surgically removed without affecting other segments. There are ten segments per lung, but due to anatomic development, several segmental bronchi in the left lung fuse, giving rise to eight. The segmental bronchi divide into many primary bronchioles which divide into terminal bronchioles, each of which then gives rise to several respiratory bronchioles, which go on to divide into 2 to 11 alveolar ducts. There are 5 or 6 alveolar sacs

associated with each alveolar duct. The alveolus is the basic anatomical unit of gas exchange in the lung. There is hyaline cartilage present in the bronchi, present as irregular rings in the larger bronchi (and not as regular as in the trachea), and as small plates and islands in the smaller bronchi. Smooth muscle is present continuously around the bronchi. In the mediastinum, at the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra, the trachea divides into the right and left primary bronchi. The bronchi branch into smaller and smaller passageways until they terminate in tiny air sacs called alveoli. The cartilage and mucous membrane of the primary bronchi are similar to that in the trachea. As the branching continues through the bronchial tree, the amount of hyaline cartilage in the walls decreases until it is absent in the smallest bronchioles. As the cartilage decreases, the amount of smooth muscle increases. The mucous membrane also undergoes a transition from ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium to simple cuboidal epithelium to simple squamous epithelium. The alveolar ducts and alveoli consist primarily of simple squamous epithelium, which permits rapid diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Exchange of gases between the air in the lungs and the blood in the capillaries occurs across the walls of the alveolar ducts and alveoli.