ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Upper Respiratory tract and tonsil

The upper respiratory tract primarily refers to the parts of the respiratory system lying
outside of the thorax[1] or above the sternal angle. Another definition commomly used in
medicine is the airway above the glottis or vocal cords. Some specify that the glottis
(vocal cords) is the defining line between the upper and lower respiratory tracts; [2] yet
even others make the line at the cricoid cartilage. Parts of the respiratory tract :

Nose - is an organ on the face. Anatomically, a nose is a protuberance in vertebrates

that houses the nostrils, or nares, which admit and expel air for respiration in
conjunction with the mouth. Behind the nose is the olfactory mucosa and the sinuses.

Pharynx - is the part of the neck and throat situated immediately posterior to (behind)
the mouth and nasal cavity, and cranial, or superior, to the esophagus, larynx, and
trachea. The pharynx is part of the digestive system and respiratory system of many
organisms. Because both food and air pass through the pharynx, a flap of connective
tissue called the epiglottis closes over the trachea when food is swallowed to prevent
choking or aspiration. In humans the pharynx is important in vocalization.

Nasopharynx- extends between the internal nares and the soft palate and lies superior
to the oral cavity. Some lymphoid tissue—the pharyngeal tonsils (known as the
adenoids)—are located in the posterior wall. The auditory tubes (or Eustachian tubes),
which connect the middle ear to the pharynx, open into the nasopharynx. The opening
opens and closes, equalizing the air pressure in the middle ear to that of the
atmosphere needed for proper conduction of sound.

Oropharynx - lies behind the oral cavity. The anterior wall consists of the base of the
tongue and the epiglottic vallecula; the lateral wall is made up of the tonsil, tonsillar
fossa, and tonsillar (faucial) pillars; the superior wall consists of the inferior surface of
the soft palate and the uvula.

Laryngopharynx - In human anatomy, the laryngopharynx or hypopharynx (Latin:

pars laryngea pharyngis) is the caudal part of the pharynx. It lies inferior to the epiglottis
and extends to the location where this common pathway diverges into the respiratory
(larynx) and digestive (esophagus) pathways. At that point, the laryngopharynx is
continuous with the esophagus posteriorly. The esophagus conducts food and fluids to
the stomach; air enters the larynx anteriorly. During swallowing, food has the "right of
way", and air passage temporarily stops.

Tonsil

Tonsils are clusters of lymphatic tissue just under the mucous membranes that line the
nose, mouth, and throat (pharynx). There are three groups of tonsils. The pharyngeal
tonsils are located near the opening of the nasal cavity into the pharynx. When these
tonsils become enlarged they may interfere with breathing and are called adenoids. The
palatine tonsils are the ones that are located near the opening of the oral cavity into the
pharynx. Lingual tonsils are located on the posterior surface of the tongue, which also
places them near the opening of the oral cavity into the pharynx. Lymphocytes and
macrophages in the tonsils provide protection against harmful substances and
pathogens that may enter the body
through the nose or mouth.