In the structure of the human body, it is possible to identify areas in which parts of various physiological systems are located, united by common anatomical and physiological characteristics. These include, for example, the throat - an area in which there are elements of two systems - the respiratory and digestive. The structure of the human throat , as well as the functions of its departments will be considered in this article.
Anatomical features of the throat
The structure of the human throat , the scheme of which is shown below, indicates an area that begins with two cavities: the nasal and oral, and ends respectively with the trachea and esophagus. Therefore, one part of the throat, related to the digestive system, is called the pharynx, that is, the pharynx, and the other, which is an element of the respiratory system, is called the larynx (larynx). The pharynx is the border area between the oral cavity and the esophagus. Food crushed by teeth, moistened with saliva and partially split by the action of its enzymes, gets to the root of the tongue. Irritation of its receptors causes reflex contraction of the muscles of the soft palate, which leads to the closure of the entrance to the nasal cavity. At the same time, the entrance to the larynx is blocked by the epiglottis.
Compression of the muscles of the pharynx pushes the food lump into the esophagus, which, wave-wise contracting, propels it into the stomach. The pharynx, or larynx, as mentioned earlier, is part of the respiratory system. It receives air from the nasal cavity, nasopharynx and oropharynx, while partially warming and cleansing of dust particles. In the larynx, consisting of paired and unpaired cartilage with a hyaline base, there are two elastic fibers - the vocal cords, between them there is a glottis. The lower part of the larynx passes into the trachea. Its front wall is formed by cartilaginous half rings, which do not allow the respiratory tube to reduce its diameter. The back wall of the trachea consists of smooth muscles. Air from the trachea flows freely into the bronchi, and from them into the lungs.
Barrier role of tonsils
Studying the structure of the human throat, let us dwell on accumulations of lyphoid tissue, called the amygdala. They are formed by a special histological structure - the parenchyma scattered in the stroma, consisting of connective tissue. In the tonsils, the formation of lymphocytes - the main immunogenic elements of the body's defense against pathogenic microbes - takes place. This process is called lymphopoiesis. Considering the anatomical structure of the human throat , the tonsils of which have a differentiation into the palatine, sublingual and pharyngeal, scientists came to the conclusion that such an arrangement indicates their barrier function.
Moreover, in laryngology, it is customary to talk about the lymphoepithelial ring located in the mucous membrane at the border of the oral cavity and pharynx - the Pirogov-Valdeyer ring. In immunology, tonsils are called peripheral immunity. They surround the vestibule of the trachea and esophagus, protecting the respiratory and digestive systems from the penetration of pathogenic microflora. The anatomical and physiological structure of the human throat, the lymph nodes of which provide protection and a barrier against the harmful effects of the external environment, will be incomplete if we do not dwell on such structures of the tonsils as lacunae.
The specific functions of the gaps
These are sections of the lymph nodes that are the first to take the blow of a staphylococcal or streptococcal infection that has fallen into the oral cavity. A huge number of lymphocytes neutralize and digest bacteria, dying at the same time.
The accumulation of dead lymphoid cells forms purulent plugs in the gaps, indicating an inflammatory process that occurs in response to infection entering the body.
Larynx as a voice-forming organ
Earlier, we already examined two of the most important functions of the larynx: its participation in respiration and protection (the epiglottis closes the entrance to the larynx at the moment of ingestion of food, thereby preventing solid particles from entering the trachea and the occurrence of suffocation). There is another function of the pharynx, which we will determine by continuing to study the structure of the human throat. It concerns such a property of our body as the ability to sound and spoken. Recall that the larynx consists of cartilage.
Between the arytenoid cartilages having processes, there are vocal cords - two very flexible and springy fibers. At the moment of silence, the vocal cords diverge, and between them the glottis, having the form of an isosceles triangle, is clearly visible. During singing or speaking, the vocal cords are closed, and the air rising from the lungs at the time of exhalation causes their rhythmic vibrations, which we perceive as sounds. Sound modulation occurs due to a change in the position of the tongue, lips, cheeks, and jaws.
Gender difference in throat structure
There are several anatomical and physiological features of the structure of the human throat associated with gender. In men in the larynx, cartilage is connected in the anteroposterior larynx, forming a protrusion - an Adam's apple or Adam's apple.
In women, the angle of connection of parts of the thyroid cartilage is greater, and visually such a protrusion cannot be detected. There is also a difference in the structure of the vocal cords. In men, they are longer and thicker, and the voice itself is low. In women, the vocal cords are thinner and shorter, their voice is higher and louder.
This article examined the anatomical and physiological aspects of the structure of the human throat.