Organs and Structures of the Respiratory System

Definition

The organs and structures of the respiratory system include all the parts that function together to allow for breathing, gas exchange, and airway protection. These include the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs, and diaphragm.

Related terms

Alveoli:

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged with the blood.

Diaphragm:

A major muscle involved in breathing that contracts and relaxes to change lung volume during respiration.

Bronchi:

The large air passages that lead from the trachea (windpipe) into each lung and then branch into smaller tubes called bronchioles