11/17/2018 Lung Structure | BioNinja

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Lung Structure

Understanding:
• Air is carried to the lungs in the trachea and bronchi and then to the alveoli in bronchioles

The Respiratory System

Air enters the respiratory system through the nose or mouth and passes through the pharynx to the trachea
The air travels down the trachea until it divides into two bronchi (singular: bronchus) which connect to the lungs
The right lung is composed of three lobes, while the left lung is only comprised of two (smaller due to position
of heart)
Inside each lung, the bronchi divide into many smaller airways called bronchioles, greatly increasing surface
area
Each bronchiole terminates with a cluster of air sacs called alveoli, where gas exchange with the bloodstream
occurs

Structure of the Lungs

⇒ Click on the diagram to show / hide labels

Structure of an Alveolus

Alveoli function as the site of gas exchange, and hence have specialised structural features to help fulfil this
role:

They have a very thin epithelial layer (one cell thick) to minimise diffusion distances for respiratory gases
They are surrounded by a rich capillary network to increase the capacity for gas exchange with the blood
They are roughly spherical in shape, in order to maximise the available surface area for gas exchange
Their internal surface is covered with a layer of fluid, as dissolved gases are better able to diffuse into the
bloodstream

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Alveolar Structure

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