Histology of Lower Respiratory tract

RAHMA SHOFIYURRAHMAN -130110180113

Sources:
diFiore Atlas of Histology with Functional
Correlation
 Review
• Conducting portion  air passageways
• Respiratory portion  gases exchange
 Nasal cavity

Pharynx

Larynx

Trachea

Extrapulmonary bronchus

Intrapulmonary bronchus

Terminal bronchioles Alveolar ducts

Respiratory bronchioles
Alveoli
} Alveolar sacs
 Olfactory
• Olfactory epithelium is pseudostratified tall
columnar epithelium without goblet cells and
without motile cilia, in contrast to the
respiratory epithelium.
• Bowman  serous secretion
• Nerves  CN I
 Nasal Lining
• Superior region  respiratory epithelium
• the respiratory epithelium changes abruptly into olfactory epithelium, as
shown in this higher-power photomicrograph.
The respiratory epithelium is lined by :
• Motile cilia and contains goblet cells. The olfactory epithelium lacks cilia and
goblet cells.
• Supportive cells, located near the epithelial surface,
• nuclei of odor receptive olfactory cells, located more in the center of the
epithelium.
• Basal cells  located close to the basement membrane.
 Pharynx
• Nasopharynx  Pseudostratified ciliated
columnar epithelium (follow respiratory
epithelium)
• Oropharynx and laryngopharynx Stratified
squamous epithelium
 Larynx
• Epigglotis
• Zone of cartilage (dibatasi oleh perichondrium)
• Lingual mucosa (anterior)  stratified squamous epithelium
(non keratinized)
• Laryngeal mucosa (posterior)  pseudostratified ciliated
columnar epithelium, tubuloacinar seromucous gland
• Lamina propria
• Taste buds and lymphatic nodule in addition laryngeal/ lingual
• Vocal cords 
stratified squamous
epithelium
 Trachea
- The wall of consists of 3 layer:
• Mucosa
• Submucosa (perichondrium) and hyaline cartilage
• Adventitia (nerve, blood vessel, adipose).
- The trachea is kept patent (open) by C-shaped hyaline
cartilage (3) rings.
- The gap between the posterior ends of the hyaline cartilage
(3) is filled by the smooth trachealis muscle
• The lumen of the trachea  pseudostratified ciliated columnar
epithelium with goblet cells and thin basement membrane.
• The underlying lamina propria contains fine connective tissue
fibers, diffuse lymphatic tissue, and occasional solitary lymphatic
nodules.
• Lapisan: epithel (mucosa) - LP – elastic membrane - submucosa
(tubuloacinar seromucous gland) w/excretory ducts to the lumen.
• The glands can be seen in adventitia too.
 Bronchus
• Extrapulmonary bronchus (terusan dari trachea)
• Intrapulmonary bronchus
• In the lungs, hyaline cartilage plates replace C rings and
encircle the larger bronchi.
• Bronchioles of about 1 mm diameter no longer have
cartilage.
• A tubular size decreases, epithelium becomes simple ciliated
and goblet cells disappear.
• Bronchus  pseudostratified columnar ciliated
epithelium with goblet cells.
• The wall in the intrapulmonary bronchus consists
of a thin lamina propria , a narrow layer of
smooth muscle, a submucosa with bronchial
glands , hyaline cartilage plates, and adventitia
 Bronchioles
• Pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium with occasional goblet cells lines
the lumen.
• The lumen shows mucosal folds caused by the contractions of the surrounding
smooth muscle layer.
• Bronchial glands and cartilage plates are no longer present, and the bronchiole is
surrounded by the adventitia.
• As the intrapulmonary bronchus branches into smaller bronchi and bronchioles,
the epithelial height and the cartilage around the bronchi decrease, until only an
occasional piece of cartilage is seen.
• Cartilage disappears from the bronchi walls when their diameters decrease to
about 1 mm.
 Terminal Bronchioles
• The terminal bronchioles exhibit mucosal folds
and are lined by a columnar ciliated
epithelium that lacks goblet cells.
• A thin layer of lamina propria and smooth
muscle and an adventitia surround the
terminal bronchioles
 Respiratory Bronchioles
• Epithelium : low columnar or simple cuboidal and may be
ciliated in the proximal portion of the tubules.
• A thin CT layer supports the smooth muscle, the elastic
fibers of the lamina propria and the accompanying blood
vessels
• Transitional zone
• The respiratory bronchioles with alveoli outpocketings are
directly connected to the alveolar ducts and the alveoli.
 Alveoli
• Alveolar ducts and wall of alveoli.
• The alveoli are evaginations or outpocketings of the respiratory
bronchioles, alveolar ducts, and alveolar sacs, the terminal ends of the
alveolar ducts.
• The alveoli are lined by a layer of thin, simple squamous alveolar cells
(pneumocyte type I cells).
• The adjacent alveoli share a common interalveolar septum or alveolar
wall.
• The interalveolar septa consist of simple squamous alveolar cells, fine
connective tissue fibers and fibroblasts, and numerous capillaries.
• Alveolar macrophages (dust cells)  contain several carbon or
dust particles in their cytoplasm.
• Also found the great alveolar cells (type II pneumocytes) 
interspersed among the simple squamous alveolar cells.
• At the free ends of the interalveolar septa and around the open
ends of the alveoli are narrow bands of smooth muscle fibers.
• These muscle fibers are continuous with the muscle layer that
lines the respiratory bronchioles
Functional Correlations
 Epithelial lining n’ mucosa
The conducting portions of the respiratory system condition the inhaled air.
Mucus is continuously produced to laminal surface of tube by :
• Goblet cells in pseudostratified ciliated respiratory epithelium
• Mucous glands in the lamina propria.
Functions:
• Moist mucosa  humidifies the air.
• The mucus and ciliated epithelium  filter and clean the air of particulate
matter, infectious microorganisms, and other airborne matter.
• Rich and extensive capillary network (in CT)  warms the inspired air.
 Clara Cells
• Clara cells are most numerous in the terminal bronchioles. These
cells become the predominant cell type in the most distal part of
the respiratory bronchioles.
Functions:
• They secrete one of the lipoprotein components of surfactant,
which is a tension-reducing agent that is also found in the alveoli.
• Stem cells to replace lost or injured bronchial epithelial cells.
• Secrete proteins into the bronchial tree to protect the lung from
inhaled toxic substances, oxidative pollutants, or inflammation.
 Type I Pneumocytes
• The lung alveoli contain numerous cell types.
• Type I alveolar cells (type I pneumocytes)  thin simple squamous cells that
line the alveoli in the lung and are the main sites for gaseous exchange.
• Type I alveolar cells are in very close contact with the endothelial lining of
capillaries, forming a very thin blood-air barrier, across which gaseous
exchange takes place.
The blood-air barrier consists of :
• the surface lining and the cytoplasm of type I pneumocyte,
• The fused basement membrane of the pneumocyteand the endothelial cell
• The thin cytoplasm of the capillary endothelium.
 Type II Pneumocytes
• Fewer in number and cuboidal in shape.
• They are found singly or in groups adjacent to the squamous type I alveolar cells within the
alveoli.
• Their rounded apices project into the alveoli above the type I alveolar cells.
• These alveolar cells are secretory and contain dense-staining lamellar bodies in their apical
cytoplasm.
• During fetal development, the great alveolar cells secrete a sufficient amount of surfactant for
respiration during the last 28 to 32 weeks of gestation.
Functions:
• Synthesize and secrete a phospholipid-rich product called pulmonary surfactant
• Function as stem cells for type I squamous alveolar cells in the alveoli.
• Bactericidal effects in the alveoli.
 Surfactant released into the alveolus

Spreads as a thin layer over the surfaces of type I alveolar cells

Lowering the alveolar surface tension

The force that is needed to inflate alveoli during

inspiration decreased

Stabilizes the alveolar diameters, facilitates their

expansion, and prevents their collapse during respiration
by minimizing the collapsing forces.
 Alveolar Macrophages
• Alveolar macrophages or dust cells are monocytes that
have entered the pulmonary connective tissue and alveoli.
• Function : clean the alveoli of invading microorganisms and
inhaled particulate matter by phagocytosis.
• These cells are seen either in the individual alveoli or in the
thin alveolar septa.
• Their cytoplasm normally contains phagocytosed
particulate particles.
 Respiratory epithelium
Epithelial lining Nasal cavity
Olfactory epithelium : Pseudostratified
tall columnar epithelium without goblet
cells and without motile cilia
Nasopharynx : Pseudostratified ciliated
Pharynx columnar epithelium
Oropharynx and laryngopharynx : Stratified
squamous epithelium (for protection)

Lingual mucosa: stratified squamous

(nonkeratinized) epithelium
Larynx Laryngeal mucosa: pseudostratified ciliated
columnar epithelium
Vocal cords: stratified squamous epithelium
(kebawahnya udah pseudostratified squamous
epithelium)
Epithelial lining Trachea pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium

Extrapulmonary bronchus
pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium
Intrapulmonary bronchus

Terminal bronchioles columnar ciliated epithelium lacks goblet cells

low columnar or simple cuboidal and may be

Respiratory bronchioles ciliated in the proximal portion of the tubules.

Alveoli simple squamous alveolar cells (type I)

 Summary of epithelial
• The extrapulmonary passages pseudostratified ciliated
epithelium containing numerous goblet cells.
• As the passageways enter the lungs, the bronchi undergo extensive
branching and their diameters become progressively smaller. There
is also a gradual decrease in the height of the lining epithelium,
amount of cilia, and number of goblet cells in these tubules.
• Intrapulmonary (respiratory portion)  In the alveoli, goblet cells
are absent and the lining epithelium is thin simple squamous.
Terimakasih