Lung, bronchiole and alveoli with blood
This specimen illustrates a portion of a bronchiole adjacent to several alveoli. Bronchioles typically have simple cuboidal epithelium, in contrast to the pseudostratified columnar epithelium of larger bronchi and the trachea. Different types of bronchiolar cells (ciliated and secretory) cannot be readily distinguished in this image.
Blood has been retained in blood vessels, so the conspicuous presence of red blood cells serves to reveal the location of alveolar capillaries.
Comments and questions: dgking@siu.edu
SIUC / School
of Medicine / Anatomy / David
King
http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/crr/CR013b.htm
Last updated: 30 March 2012 / dgk