Which structure is the windpipe reinforced with cartilage rings?

Which structure is the windpipe reinforced with cartilage rings?

• A. Esophagus
• B. Trachea
• C. Larynx
• D. Bronchi

Answer: (B)

Air passages must stay open to let air flow in and out efficiently, especially as you breathe in and out. The trachea is reinforced with C-shaped rings of hyaline cartilage that provide sturdy, rigid support to keep the airway from collapsing. The open part of each ring faces the back, toward the esophagus, which allows the esophagus to expand when you swallow. Between the ends of the rings lies the trachealis muscle, which can adjust the airway’s diameter a bit for airflow regulation. The esophagus behind it is a muscular tube without cartilage rings and expands to move swallowed food. The larynx sits above and provides protection and voice function with its own cartilage, but the reinforced windpipe itself is the trachea. The bronchi also have cartilage in their walls, but not in the characteristic ring arrangement of the trachea.

Air passages must stay open to let air flow in and out efficiently, especially as you breathe in and out. The trachea is reinforced with C-shaped rings of hyaline cartilage that provide sturdy, rigid support to keep the airway from collapsing. The open part of each ring faces the back, toward the esophagus, which allows the esophagus to expand when you swallow. Between the ends of the rings lies the trachealis muscle, which can adjust the airway’s diameter a bit for airflow regulation. The esophagus behind it is a muscular tube without cartilage rings and expands to move swallowed food. The larynx sits above and provides protection and voice function with its own cartilage, but the reinforced windpipe itself is the trachea. The bronchi also have cartilage in their walls, but not in the characteristic ring arrangement of the trachea.