Structure
The tracheal mucosa is the innermost layer of the tracheal wall that lines the tracheal lumen. The mucosa is thrown into folds along the posterior wall where hyaline cartilage is absent Surrounding the tracheal mucosa is the submucosa, which consists of dense connective tissue and seromucous glands. Tracheal cartilage and the trachealis muscle surround the outer surface of the submucosal layer.
Related parts of the anatomy
Key Features/Anatomical Relations
The tracheal mucosa is composed of ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium with Goblet cells. The mucus produced by the Goblet cells serves to trap foreign airborne particles in the inspired air. Additionally, the upward beating motion of the cilia of the epithelium move this mucus superiorly, after which the mucus is either expelled as phlegm or swallowed and destroyed by stomach acids.
