ALL ABOUT THE NOSE! =D

INTERESTED ABOUT US?

DUNMAN HIGH school FOUR I!<3 a bunch of people highly interested in the functions of our HOLY NOSE.=)

INTRODUCTION

Main structure

The Nose, is an organ of smell, and also part of the apparatus of respiration and voice. It can be divided into an external portion - the visible projection portion, to which the term nose is popularly restricted and an internal portion- consisting of two principal cavities (nasal fossae) separated from each other by a vertical septum, and subdivided by spongy or turbinated bones that project from the outer wall into three passages (meatuses), with which various sinuses in the ethmoid, sphenoid, frontal, and superior maxillary bones communicate by narrow openings.

INSIDE THE NOSE

The margins of the nostrils are usually lined with a number of stiff hairs (vibrissae) that project across the openings and serve as a filter in the passage of foreign substances, such as dust and small insects, which might otherwise be drawn up with the current of air intended for respiration. The skeleton, or framework, of the nose is partly composed of the bones forming the top and sides of the bridge, and partly of cartilages. On either side are an upper lateral and a lower lateral cartilage, to the latter of which are attached three or four small cartilaginous plates, termed sesamoid cartilages. The cartilage of the septum separates the nostrils and, in association posteriorly with the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid and with the vomer, forms a complete partition between the right and left nasal fossae. The nasal fossae, which constitute the internal part of the nose, are lofty and of considerable depth. They open in front through the nostrils and behind end in a vertical slit on either side of the upper pharynx, above the soft palate, and near the orifices of the Eustachian tubes, leading to the tympanic cavity of the ear. In the olfactory region of the nose the mucous membrane is very thick and colored by a brown pigment. The olfactory nerve, or nerve of smell, terminates in the nasal cavity in several small branches; these ramify in the soft mucous membrane and end in tiny varicose fibers that in turn terminate in elongated epithelial cells projecting into the free surface of the nose

FUNCTIONS
The uppermost portion of the human respiratory system, the nose is a hollow air passage that functions in breathing and in the sense of smell. The nasal cavity moistens and warms incoming air, while small hairs and mucous filter out harmful particles and microorganisms. This illustration depicts the interior of the human nose. When smell-producing chemicals come into contact with the upper portion of the nasal passage, the smell is carried by nerve fibres through the roof of the nose into the brain.

Air normally enters the nose where it is:

1. Warmed

2. Filtered from large particles

3. Moistened

These three functions are performed as the air passes over ridges named the Superior, middle and inferior conchea and also as the air passes through the folds between the conchea termed the superior, middle and inferior meatus. All these structures are highly vascularised and moistened by copious amount of mucus. This rich blood supply causes the air to be warmed to almost body temperature. As hot air can contain a higher amount of moisture, the air is also humidified to almost 100% as it passes through the nose. Apart from heating and moistening the air, the conchea produce turbulence in the incoming air. This turbulence would induce any large particles including dust and bacteria, to stick to the mucus. Thus the air is also filtered as it is passing through the nose. This function is complimented by the presence of hairs at the entrance of the nose that trap the very large particles. Apart from the "airconditioning" function, the nose accommodates the sense of smell, through the presence of special neuroepithelium . These sensory nerve endings are stimulated by chemicals that dissolve in the moist coating. Vocal sounds are also produced in the nasal cavity thus aiding in vocalisation.

NOW AREN'T YOU MORE EQUIPPED WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE ON THE NOSE?=)))))

Friday, March 07, 2008

[[]]

hilda here again! ^^ i guess this will be the last post before miss koh comes to our blog? anyway, HELLO MISS KOH! welcome to our blog! do tag and leave comments too if you have any!

back to the nosey topic, today i want to tell you more about something IN our nose, the mucus! a little disgusting i know, but it's still good to learn more on something as common as mucus ^^ anyway, before i start, i would just like to comment, shilei! your previous post's photo is really disgusting! haha. and i like zhjie's previous post, interesting! next time i shall face somewhere bright if i can't sneeze and see if it's true ^^

okay, now to mucus. haha.

Mucus is a slippery secretion of the lining of the mucous membranes in the body. It is a viscous colloid containing antiseptic enzymes (eg lysozyme) and immunoglobulins. Mucus is produced by goblet cells in the mucous membranes that cover the surfaces of the membranes. It is made up of mucins and inorganic salts suspended in water.

maybe some of you have a question in mind, what is phlegm then?

Phlegm is actually a type of mucus that is restricted to the respiratory tract, while the term mucus refers to secretions of the nasal passages as well.

So let's take a look at mucus cells

In the respiratory system, mucus traps small particles such as bacteria and dust, helping to prevent them from entering the body; this occurs especially in the nose. Mucus aids in the protection of the lungs by trapping foreign particles that enter the nose during normal breathing. Additionally, it prevents tissues from drying out. Increased mucus production in the respiratory tract is a symptom of many common illnesses, such as the common cold. The presence of mucus in the nose and throat is normal, but increased quantities can impede comfortable breathing and must be cleared by blowing the nose or expectorating phlegm from the throat. Among the components of nasal mucus are tears.
Nasal mucus is mucus produced by the nasal mucosa. It serves to protect the respiratory tract and trap foreign objects such as dust and pollen before they enter the remainder of the respiratory tract. Nasal mucus is produced continually, and most of it is swallowed subconsciously.

When you're sick...
Generally mucus is clear and thin, serving to filter air during inhalation. During times of infection, mucus can change color to yellow or green either as a result of trapped bacteria, or due to the body's reaction to viral infection. Such colored mucus or phlegm usually has an offensive putrid odor.
Increased mucus production in the respiratory tract is a symptom of many common diseases, such as the common cold. The presence of mucus in the nose and throat is normal, but increased quantities can hinder comfortable breathing and may be cleared by blowing the nose or expectorating excess mucus from the back of the throat. Nasal mucus may also be removed by using traditional methods of nasal irrigation. Excess mucus, as with a cold or allergies may be treated cautiously with decongestant drugs.

of course, mucus can also be found in the digestive and reproductive systems of the body but i shan't elaborate on that because it isn't related to the nose.

but anyway, i hope you have once again, learnt more from this post! ^^ do comment!

posted at 7:08 AM

end of post

LINKSSSS/BIBLOGRAPHY!=)

'MUCUS`1! =D
'NOSEPICKING! =D
'deviated septum =D
'sneezing =D
'NOSE SHAPE! =D
'MUCUS`2! =D
'air that enters the nose =D
'dog NOSES! =D
'rhinoplasty! =D
'the nose=D
'nose intro =D

thanks to
photoshop 7.0
KIAYI for the codes
PRIDAA for UGLY MAKING OF BLOGSKIN HAHA!
`blogger
`colour codes

Archive
go to: February 2008
go to: March 2008

WELCOME=)
HELLO=)don't you wanna know more about the nose? yes!so.. LETS BE NOSEY.frequent this blog to know more about the nose,this very important organ in our body!ENJOY!^^ =D