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Lung Development

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6 views2 pages

Lung Development

Uploaded by

Rebekah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Lung development

Sunday 4 June 2023 17:26

Briefly outline the development of the lungs


and tracheobronchial tree;

The development of the lungs and tracheobronchial tree


begins in the early stages of embryonic development.

During the fourth week of gestation, the lung buds appear as


small outgrowths from the ventral foregut, which is the part
of the embryonic gut that will eventually give rise to the
respiratory and digestive tracts. These lung buds then begin
to divide and differentiate into the main bronchi and the
lung tissue.

By the sixth week, the lung buds have divided into the right
and left main bronchi, which will give rise to the
tracheobronchial tree. The trachea, or windpipe, develops
from the anterior portion of the lung buds, while the
bronchi, which divide into smaller and smaller branches,
develop from the posterior portion.

Over the next few weeks, the lungs continue to develop and
differentiate into the various structures found in the mature
lung, such as the bronchioles, alveoli, and pleural cavities.
The alveoli, which are the tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas
exchange occurs, begin to form around the 20th week of
gestation.

During the last trimester of pregnancy, the lungs undergo a


process called surfactant production, which is necessary for
the lungs to be able to inflate and deflate properly after
birth. Surfactant is a substance that coats the inside of the
alveoli and reduces the surface tension of the fluids in the
lungs.
lungs.

It's worth mentioning that although the lung development is mostly


complete by birth, the lung's full maturity is not reached until around the
age of 2-3 years old.

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