Anatomy of the LUNGS: location, shape and parts

The lungs are one of the most important organs of the respiratory system. Within them, gas exchange occurs that allows us to take oxygen from the atmosphere. In order to carry out its function, the lungs have developed and adapted in an important way, especially with regard to their anatomy. In this lesson from a TEACHER we will see in a general way the lungs anatomy, that is, your location, shape and parts that allow them to perform their function within the body.

Index

1. What are the lungs like? General characteristics
2. Parts of the lungs
3. The lung pleura
4. The pulmonary hilum

The lungs are essential within the respiratory system. They are found inside the chest, each on one side of the heart. Like the heart, the lungs are protected by the ribs, which form the rib cage. The lungs are separated from each other by the mediastinum, a cavity that contains the heart and its large blood vessels, trachea, esophagus, thymus, bronchi, and lymph nodes. Each of the lungs is covered by a web called pleura.

The lungs are not equal to each other: the right lung is larger and heavier. Men's right lung weighs around 600 grams while the left one weighs 500 grams. In addition, women's lungs are smaller compared to men's, since the rib cage of women has a smaller average volume.

At times, you have seen that in textbooks or diagrams the surface of the lungs is colored pink. The lungs are only pink in children since with time, in adults they take on a somewhat grayer color. This is because some small particles from the breathed air get trapped on the surface. The lung will be darker or more mottled the more retained particles it has, either because the person is a regular smoker or because he or she lives in a highly polluted environment.

The lungs are light, soft, spongy, highly elastic, triangular or semi-cone shaped organs. To study the anatomy of the lungs, two portions are differentiated according to their shape:

• The vertex or apex of a lung corresponding to its upper portion, which is closest to the head
• The base or lower portion, is the one that rests on the diaphragm muscle and is closer to the abdomen.

The lungs (similarly to the brain) are divided into different parts, called lobes and these divisions are called fissures. The right lung, which is larger, is divided into 3 parts or lobes by means of two fissures, while the left lung has only 2 lobes, upper and lower, separated by a fissure. Each of these lobes and fissures have a name:

• The right lung It is divided by two fissures: horizontal fissure and oblique fissure. These two fissures give rise to the 3 parts or lobes: upper lobe, middle lobe, and lower lobe.
• The left lung it has two lobes: upper lobe and lower lobe. These two lobes are separated by a fissure: the oblique fissure.

Each of the pulmonary lobes are subdivided in turn into segments. Each of these segments, which are well differentiated, corresponds to each one a segmental bronchus that is inserted inside. These segmental bronchi are relatively large tubes that come directly from the trachea.

As they insert into the lung, the bronchi decrease in diameter, passing from segmental bronchi to bronchi and from bronchi to bronchioles and from these to terminal bronchioles. These terminal bronchioles lead to the respiratory bronchioles, which connect directly with the alveoli. While the bronchi are responsible for conducting air from the outside into the lungs, the alveoli are the place where gas exchange occurs: entry of oxygen and exit of carbon dioxide and other gases Undone.

Image: Partsdel.com

The pleura of the lungs o lung pleura is a web that covers the lungs to protect them. Within the anatomy of the lungs and its functioning, the pleura is very important as it prevents the lungs from lungs rub directly on the rib cage when they fill with air on breathing and may be damaged or wear away.

The pleura has two layers: the parietal pleura and visceral pleura. The parietal pleura lines and adheres to the diaphragm and the inner part of the rib cage while the visceral pleura that lines the outside of the lungs, entering their lobes through the fissures. Between both layers there is a small cavity called Pleural cavity, in which there is a lubricating liquid called pleural fluid.

Image: Onmedia.es

The hilum is a depression structure on the surface of an organ through which the input and output blood or lymphatic vessels, nerves, or ducts. In the case of the lungs it is called pulmonary hilum and is located near the center of the inner face.

Each of the hila is surrounded by pleura and arteries, veins, bronchi, nerves, vessels and lymph nodes enter and leave each lung.

If you want to read more articles similar to Anatomy of the lungs, we recommend that you enter our category of biology.

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