Alveolar duct

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Alveolar duct
Detailed drawing of the alveoli from Gray's Anatomy, 1918 - Schematic longitudinal section of a primary lobule of the lung (anatomical unit);
r. b respiratory bronchiole;
al. d alveolar duct; at atria;
a. s alveolar sac;
'a' alveolus or air cell;
p. a.: pulmonary artery;
p. v pulmonary vein;
l lymphatic;
l. n lymph node.]
Part of a secondary lobule from the depth of a human lung, showing parts of several primary lobules.
1, bronchiole;
2, respiratory bronchiole;
3, alveolar duct;
4, atria;
5, alveolar sac;
6, alveolus or air cell:
m, smooth muscle;
a, branch pulmonary artery;
v, branch pulmonary vein;
s, septum between secondary lobules.

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Alveolar ducts are the tiny end ducts of the branching airways that fill the lungs. Each lung holds approximately 1.5 to 2 million of them. The tubules divide into two or three alveolar sacs at the distal end. They are formed from the confluence openings of several alveoli. Distal terminations of alveolar ducts are atria which then end in alveolar sacs.

In human anatomy, respiratory bronchioles exists proximal to the alveolar ducts. The epithelial lining consists of smooth muscle knobs covered by nonciliated, simple cuboidal cells. The smooth muscle constricts under parasympathetic innervation and relax under sympathetic innervation.

Additional images

human alveolar duct
human alveolar duct

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Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content

Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .

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