Right Upper Lobe Bronchus

Free Willy!

At the request of an awesome friend/classmate, here's an inaccurately drawn CT scan of the thorax (totally not going to be a radiologist) cutting through the right upper lobe bronchus at around the level just below the carina. The right upper bronchus looks like a whale!

Remember when Shamu at Sea World killed that trainer last year?!

The Black Lung

"What is this? A center for ants?"

Derek Zoolander after being in a coal mine for a day: "I think I'm getting the Black Lung, Pop. It's not very well ventilated down there."

I do realize this is a BAD drawing of Zoolander but I can't stop quoting from the movie. *high pitched cough*


Causes of nocturnal cough: GERD, bronchial asthma
Causes of productive cough: chronic bronchitis, bacterial pneumonia, bronchiectasis
Drugs causing cough: ACE inhibitors, aspirin

PEACOCK!

Teaching Point #1  

Without naming any particular names, I really enjoy the infectious disease doctors at the hospital.

Respiratory Epithelium: Goblet Cell

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Mucus.

Yesterday, no one came to microanatomy class. I did though, and this is what I kind of learned:

Respiratory epithelium differs based on where you are along the respiratory tract. In the nasal mucosa, you'll find pseudostratified columnar epithelium with the following cells: goblet cells, ciliated cells, and basal cells. Underneath this is a vascularized lamina propria with mucous/serous glands. 

Goblet cells secrete mucin, ciliated cells beat up all the junk in your airway towards the pharynx, and basal cells are stem cells. 

Down the respiratory tract you'll lose the goblet cells and then you'll see all the cool lung-y stuff. 

Also, I'M TIRED.

Pulmonary Fun Facts

It should really be Woo-Tang Clan. 

Just began studying the respiratory system and what better way to start it off than with a review of structures that pierce through the diaphragm?!

Level at which things pierce through the diaphragm:

T8: Inferior Vena Cava

T10: Esophagus 

T12: Aorta 

The lungs remind me of an upside down Wu-Tang Clan symbol. Word.