The trachea (sometimes called the windpipe) is a wide, hollow and flexible tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs. It is an important part of the body because it has the vital function of providing air flow to and from the lungs for respiration. It is lined with a layer of pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium. The epithelium contains goblet cells, which are cells that produce mucins, the main component of mucus. Mucus helps to moisten and protect the airways. The supporting lamina propria underneath the epithelium contains elastin, that plays a role in the elastic recoil of the trachea during breathing in and breathing out, together with blood vessels that warm the air.
The trachea (sometimes called the windpipe) is a wide, hollow and flexible tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs. It is an important part of the body because it has the vital function of providing air flow to and from the lungs for respiration. It is lined with a layer of pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium. The epithelium contains goblet cells, which are cells that produce mucins, the main component of mucus. Mucus helps to moisten and protect the airways. The supporting lamina propria underneath the epithelium contains elastin, that plays a role in the elastic recoil of the trachea during breathing in and breathing out, together with blood vessels that warm the air.