Anatomy, Imaging, and Pathology of the Trachea

Identification and Characterisation of tracheal cartilage derived stem cells for airway tissue engineering

“…The trachea is a biological composite material consisting of adventitia, cartilage rings, interconnecting ligament-like tissue, mucosa and submucosa, muscle. In addition, the trachea is well perfused through an extensive vascular network [30]. The majority of tracheal tissue engineering approaches have in large concentrated on recreating the cartilage rings and the epithelium layer [89].…”

“…The Trachea is a hollow tube that is situated midline in the neck and extends from the cartilaginous cricoid to the carina where it bifurcates into the left and right main bronchi. The trachea extends from the larynx and is a flexible, vascularised and cylindrical tissue that directs the airflow to the lungs [30] (Figure 1.5). The inhaled air is then directed to the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli where gaseous exchange takes place [31].…”

“…An adult trachea is structurally composed of 16 -20 C-shaped hyaline cartilage rings with the first ring being generally broader than the rest. On average, in an adult, the tracheas' length ranges from 10cm to 13cm with a transversal diameter of 2.3cm and a sagittal diameter of 1.8cm in the adult male (2.0cm and 1.4cm in female) and a 3mm wall thickness [30]. The length of the trachea is proportional to the size of the individual and varies with the persons' height.…”

“…The trachea is exposed to constant airflow during inspiration with velocities varying from 1mm/sec through quiet breathing mechanism to 250 km/hr during coughing in an adult. Throughout the coughing process narrowing of the trachea occurs resulting in high velocities of air [30]. To comply with high pressures the trachea requires a highly elastic structure.…”