Discover other slides

Back to the light

Trachea

Trachea macro- and microanatomy

Source: https://uen.pressbooks.pub/resp1010m5/chapter/respiratory-system/

The trachea is our one single pipe that connects the larynx and branches later on into two, the bronchi. Let's take this delicate and vital structure and cut it into a cross-section. Under the microscope, you'd find the breathing hole apical, and then down into the deeper layers. Not super obvious here, but you'd see a thick middle section that is filled with crunchy cartilage.

Zoomed trachea slide

Source: https://uen.pressbooks.pub/resp1010m5/chapter/respiratory-system/

Zoom into the epithelial layer, and you'll see lighter-coloured, oval-ish goblet cells squeezed between the pseudostratified epithelial cells. They produce mucus and such into the breathing hole. The epithelial cells also have a fine haircut consisting of kinocilia (with 9x2+2 configuration! 9x3 would be centrioles). That's why it's called the ciliated epithelium.

The pictures here are cute enough, but the slides look a lot prettier with Goldner Elastica (╥‸╥)