Conchae
spongy bone outside the nasal cavities
The conchae are a part of the nasal cavity. They are also known as nasal turbinates or nasal conchae. There are three conchae in each nasal cavity – the inferior, middle and superior conchae.
The primary function of the conchae is to increase the surface area of the nasal cavity, which helps to increase the contact between the air and the nasal epithelium. This increased contact allows for a greater amount of warming, moisturizing and filtering of the air before it reaches the lungs.
These structures also help to improve the sense of smell. The conchae are lined with olfactory epithelium, which contains olfactory receptors. These receptors are responsible for detecting and identifying different odors.
The inferior conchae are the largest and most prominent of the three. They are responsible for warming and moisturizing the air before it enters the lungs. The middle conchae help to redirect the airflow in the nasal cavity and create turbulent airflow patterns, which help to increase contact with the nasal epithelium. The superior conchae are the smallest and least prominent, but they help to direct air towards the olfactory epithelium, which improves the sense of smell.
Overall, the conchae are important structures in the nasal cavity that play an important role in warming, moisturizing, filtering and sensing the air before it reaches the lungs.
More Answers:
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