The 7 Most Important Parts Of The Nose, And Their Characteristics
The nose is one of the most important organs in our body since, through it, we can breathe and smell. It is the main entrance of air to the respiratory system and is located more or less in the middle of our face, protruding above the mouth.
Thanks to the nose and the respiratory system, we introduce the oxygen that we need so much into our body so that the cells can carry out their metabolic processes and continue living.
Next we will see the most important parts of the nose what are its functions and its exact location both on the external and internal part of this organ.
The nose is a very important structure for our body since it represents the main air inlet This air, which contains oxygen, will end up going to the lungs where it will be introduced into the blood and travel to all the cells of the body, allowing cellular respiration and the associated metabolic processes to occur.
Although the mouth can also introduce air into the body, the nose is the safest entrance, since it It has mechanisms to protect us from airborne pathogens
When we introduce air into our body we are doing inhalation. Air flows from around us and ends up in the nasal passages and then travels towards the nasal cavity. It then passes through the back of our throat, through the trachea and, finally, reaches the lungs. When exhaling, that is, expelling air, we basically do this same process but in reverse, starting in the lungs and leaving through the nasal passages.
But the nose is not only involved in respiratory function, it is also the place where a fundamental sense is located to detect whether a food is edible or not: the sense of smell. The cells responsible for transforming olfactory stimuli into nerve impulses have direct communication with the central nervous system allowing a quick and efficient response to a pleasant stimulus, such as the smell of freshly baked bread, or an unpleasant stimulus, such as the smell of a corpse.
Next we are going to go into detail about the various parts that make up the nose, both in its outer and inner sections, in addition to seeing what their functions are and how they connect with the respiratory system and the sensory system.
The parts of the nose that we can see and that They protrude from the face and make up the external nasal structure Basically, the external part is made up of a framework of bone and cartilage covered by very thin muscles that, in turn, are covered with a thin layer of skin.
1. Root and groove
Anatomically speaking, the nose begins in the sulcus, which is the region located above the upper lip and ends at the root, which is the part located between the eyebrows, right at the top of the face.
2. Bridge and back
The pyramidal shape of the human nose is due to two structures, both located between the root and the most pointed portion of this structure: the bridge and the dorsum. The main function of these two structures is to protect the inner part of the nose.
The bridge is a structure that Its main characteristic is the hard part of the nose It is made up of small bones that give it rigidity, although it must be said that they are quite fragile and, in case of trauma or some type of disease, they can be deformed and damaged, making breathing difficult.
The back, also called the nasal pyramid, is the cartilaginous part of the external nose It is a fairly firm structure but, unlike the bridge, it has a greater degree of flexibility. In its part closest to the lip, with a rounded and partially pointed shape, we find the nasal lobe.
3. Nasal fins or wings
At the tip of the nose we can find fragments of tissue connected to the rest of the face. These structures are the nasal fins or wings which, Depending on their thickness, they determine the opening of the nostrils
4. Nostrils
The nasal passages communicate with the outside world through the nostrils, which are the external openings of the nose, that is, they are the nostrils. How open they are depends a lot on the thickness of the nasal wings. The nostrils, if they are too closed, they can be a serious respiratory problem requiring corrective surgery
Internal parts
The nose is not only the two holes and the pyramidal structure that we can see in the middle of the face. It also has deep parts that connect with the trachea and the brain allowing air to reach the lungs and nerve information to be sent to the olfactory centers of the brain.
If the nostrils are the entrance to the nose, the nostrils are the room. This is the deep part of the nostrils, where the air enters with all its particles in suspension
2. Nasal septum
The two nostrils are separated from each other by a structure called the nasal septum. In its deepest part, close to the brain, it is made up of very thin bones, while in the most superficial part and closest to the tip of the nose it is made up of cartilage When this structure is deformed and deviated it can make one nasal cavity larger than the other, causing problems when breathing.
3. Nasal cavity
The nasal cavity is a space that connects the nose to the back of the throat. Is about one of the first places in the respiratory system through which the air we breathe flows to, thus, begin its journey to the lungs, transported through the trachea. Its shape is more or less cylindrical, divided in half by the nasal septum and surrounded by the paranasal sinuses.
4. Paranasal sinuses
Around the nasal cavity we find structures in the form of bags filled with air called paranasal sinuses, near the nasal passages. Like the nasal passages, the sinuses are lined by mucous membranes. We can distinguish four types.
On the one hand there are the ethmoid sinuses They are located inside the face, around the bridge of the nose. At birth they are developed and continue to grow.
The maxillary sinuses are located inside the face, around the cheek area. They are also developed at the time of birth and grow later.
In third place are the frontal sinuses, which are inside the face, around the forehead area. They do not begin to develop until 7 years of age.
Finally, the sphenoid sinuses are located deep in the face, just behind the nose. They do not develop until adolescence.
There has been extensive debate about whether the paranasal sinuses can be considered vestigial organs, since they have been associated with an increased likelihood of infectious diseases. However, it has been defended on several occasions that they could play multiple fundamental functions for our health:
5. Mucous membrane
All the internal structures of the nose are covered by a tissue called mucous membrane or respiratory mucosa. Its main function is to maintain a humid environment inside the nose, causing the inhaled air to become humid and warm This is essential, since if we inhale cold, dry air, the inner surface of the lungs could be seriously damaged.
In addition, the mucosa produces, as its name suggests, mucus. Although mucus is not visually very pleasant, it fulfills a very important function for our health, since it is the main protective barrier of our respiratory system against pathogens, dust and other suspended particles, which could infect us and cause illness. Humans We are constantly producing mucus and, when we are healthy, we produce on average one liter a day
6. Cilia
Inside the nose we can find thousands of microscopic hairs called cilia Its main function is to prevent the mucus produced by the respiratory mucosa, which has trapped dust and pathogens, from entering the lungs or other structures of the respiratory system and skull. Thanks to these little hairs, the mucus comes out, causing us to sneeze or have to snot.
7. Olfactory receptors
In addition to being the entrance for air, thus initiating breathing, the nose is also the organ in which the sense of smell is located. Although it is not very developed in the human species, smell allows us to identify whether a food is in good condition or in poor condition, without having to try it and find out in a way that puts our health at risk.
When a food smells good, our brain interprets it as a very nutritious and energetic food, activating the appetite and pressuring us to eat it. On the other hand, when a food smells bad, it interprets it as being toxic, rotten, or unfit for human consumption, causing us to respond with disgust and ensuring that we are not attracted to it.
We owe the sense of smell to having millions of cells inside us, which are the olfactory receptors. These cells are chemoreceptors, that is, cells specialized in the identification of chemical substances and they are part of a piece of tissue called olfactory epithelium, which is located in the highest part of the nasal cavity. These cells connect directly to the brain, making the body’s response to a beneficial or harmful food very rapid.
