Review: Anatomy of the Lung

Here is what we have learned from Anatomy of the Lung:

• The lungs, the major organs of the respiratory system, are divided into sections, or lobes. The right lung has three lobes and is slightly larger than the left lung, which has two lobes.
• The lungs are separated by the mediastinum. This area contains the heart, trachea, esophagus, and many lymph nodes.
• The respiratory tract is divided into two main parts: the upper respiratory tract, consisting of the nose, nasal cavity and the pharynx; and the lower respiratory tract, consisting of the larynx, trachea, bronchi and the lungs.
• The upper respiratory tract consists of the nose, the nasal cavity and the pharynx. The lower tract consists of the larynx, the trachea , the bronchi and the lungs.
• The trachea, which begins at the edge of the larynx, divides into two bronchi and continues into the lungs.
• The bronchi divide into smaller bronchioles, which branch in the lungs forming passageways for air.
• The terminal parts of the bronchi are the alveoli.The alveoli are the functional units of the lungs and they form the site of gaseous exchange.