Bronchioles meaning

Overview Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of your bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from your lungs. People who have bronchitis often cough up thickened mucus, which can be discolored. Bronchitis may be either acute or chronic. Often developing from a cold or other respiratory infection, acute bronchitis is very common. Chronic bronchitis, a more serious condition, is a constant irritation or inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, often due to smoking. Acute bronchitis, also called a chest cold, usually improves within a week to 10 days without lasting effects, although the cough may linger for weeks. However, if you have repeated bouts of bronchitis, you may have chronic bronchitis, which requires medical attention. Chronic bronchitis is one of the conditions included in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Symptoms For either acute bronchitis or chronic bronchitis, signs and symptoms may include: • Cough • Production of mucus (sputum), which can be clear, white, yellowish-gray or green in color — rarely, it may be streaked with blood • Fatigue • Shortness of breath • Slight fever and chills • Chest discomfort If you have acute bronchitis, you might have cold symptoms, such as a mild headache or body aches. While these symptoms usually improve in about a week, you may have a nagging cough that lingers for several weeks. Chronic bronchitis is defined as a productive cough that lasts at least three months, with recurring bouts occurring...

Interstitial lung disease can be caused by long-term exposure to hazardous materials, such as asbestos. Some types of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, also can cause interstitial lung disease. In some cases, however, the causes remain unknown. Once lung scarring occurs, it's generally irreversible. Medications may slow the damage of interstitial lung disease, but many people never regain full use of their lungs. Lung transplant is an option for some people who have interstitial lung disease. Symptoms The primary signs and symptoms of interstitial lung disease are: • Shortness of breath at rest or aggravated by exertion • Dry cough When to see a doctor By the time symptoms appear, irreversible lung damage has often already occurred. Nevertheless, it's important to see your doctor at the first sign of breathing problems. Many conditions other than interstitial lung disease can affect your lungs, and getting an early and accurate diagnosis is important for proper treatment. Bronchioles and alveoli in the lungs In your lungs, the main airways, called bronchi, branch off into smaller and smaller passageways. The smallest airways, called bronchioles, lead to tiny air sacs called alveoli. Interstitial lung disease seems to occur when an injury to your lungs triggers an abnormal healing response. Ordinarily, your body generates just the right amount of tissue to repair damage. But in interstitial lung disease, the repair process goes awry and the tissue around th...

Bronchial Tubes When a person breathes, air taken in through the nose or mouth then goes into the trachea (windpipe). From there, it passes through the bronchial tubes, into the lungs, and finally back out again. The bronchial tubes, which branch into smaller tubes called bronchioles, are sometimes referred to as bronchi or airways. People with asthma have bronchial tubes that are inflamed. This means that the airways swell and produce lots of thick mucus. The bronchial tubes are also overly sensitive, or hyperreactive, to certain things like exercise, dust, or cigarette smoke. This causes the muscles around the bronchial tubes to tighten up. The combination of inflammation and muscle tightening narrows the airways and makes it difficult to breathe.

Bronchioles Diagram Location and Structure Located within the [4], consisting of connective tissues and some smooth muscles that keep the tubes open. These further divide into smaller tubules, which in turn continue subdividing till they reach the alveoli. Most parts of the bronchioles are lined with ciliated pseudostratified columnar or cuboidal epithelial tissues containing goblet cells. Terminal Bronchioles Smaller tubules of around 0.5mm diameter, with ciliated cuboidal epithelium (there are no goblet cells) [6]. As their name suggests, these are considered the last conducting structure of the human respiratory system, eventually terminating in respiratory bronchioles [6, 7] Respiratory Bronchioles The final division of bronchioles, these end in 2-11 alveolar ducts [7, 8], surrounded by the proteins elastin and collagen, and smooth muscles, each leading into an alveolar sac. These sacs contain multiple alveoli, encircled by pulmonary system blood vessels [9]. Ciliated cuboidal epithelial cells line the respiratory bronchioles, while some non-ciliated cells, known as clara cells, are present as well [6]. Any dust particles and germs present in the inhaled air stick to the mucus secreted by the goblet cells in the epithelium, so the cilia can ‘sweep’ it upward to be excreted through the oral or What are the Functions of the Bronchioles As the oxygen-rich inhaled air reaches the lungs through the bronchi, it travels via bronchioles to reach the alveoli, where the gas exch...