Atembahn

Atembahn refers to the respiratory tract, the system of organs and tissues that facilitate breathing. It encompasses all the passages through which air travels into and out of the lungs, as well as the lungs themselves. The atembahn is crucial for gas exchange, allowing the body to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism.

The upper atembahn includes the nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Air enters through the nose or mouth, where it is warmed, humidified, and filtered. The pharynx, a passageway for both air and food, leads to the larynx, or voice box, which also serves to protect the lower airways from food particles.

The lower atembahn consists of the trachea, bronchi, and lungs. The trachea, or windpipe, branches into two main bronchi, which lead into the right and left lungs. Within the lungs, the bronchi further divide into smaller and smaller tubes called bronchioles, eventually terminating in tiny air sacs known as alveoli. It is in the alveoli that the vital process of gas exchange occurs, with oxygen passing into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide moving from the blood into the air to be exhaled. The entire atembahn is lined with a mucous membrane that traps foreign particles, and cilia, tiny hair-like structures, that sweep these particles upward to be expelled.