Nasal cavity

The nasal cavity is a large, air-filled

space above and behind the nose in the
middle of the face. The nasal septum
divides the cavity into two cavities,[1] also
known as fossae.[2] Each cavity is the
continuation of one of the two nostrils.
The nasal cavity is the uppermost part of
the respiratory system and provides the
nasal passage for inhaled air from the
nostrils to the nasopharynx and rest of
the respiratory tract.
 Nasal cavity

Head and neck

Conducting passages

Details

Part of Nose

Identifiers

Latin cavum nasi; cavitas

nasi

MeSH D009296 (https://me

 shb.nlm.nih.gov/reco
rd/ui?ui=D009296)
TA98 A06.1.02.001 (http
s://ifaa.unifr.ch/Publi
c/EntryPage/TA98%2
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8%20EN/06.1.02.00
1%20Entity%20TA9
8%20EN.htm)

TA2 3165 (https://ta2view

er.openanatomy.or
g/?id=3165)

FMA 54378 (https://biopor

tal.bioontology.org/o
ntologies/FMA/?p=cl
asses&conceptid=htt
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Anatomical terminology

The paranasal sinuses surround and

drain into the nasal cavity.

Structure

Nasal cavity anatomy

The term "nasal cavity" can refer to each

of the two cavities of the nose, or to the
two sides combined.
 CT scan in the coronal plane, showing
the ostiomeatal complex (green area).

The lateral wall of each nasal cavity

mainly consists of the maxilla. However,
there is a deficiency that is compensated
for by the perpendicular plate of the
palatine bone, the medial pterygoid plate,
the labyrinth of ethmoid and the inferior
concha. The paranasal sinuses are
connected to the nasal cavity through
small orifices called ostia. Most of these
ostia communicate with the nose
through the lateral nasal wall, via a semi-
lunar depression in it known as the
semilunar hiatus. The hiatus is bound
laterally by a projection known as the
uncinate process. This region is called
the ostiomeatal complex.[3]

The roof of each nasal cavity is formed in

its upper third to one half by the nasal
bone and more inferiorly by the junctions
of the upper lateral cartilage and nasal
septum. Connective tissue and skin
cover the bony and cartilaginous
components of the nasal dorsum.

The floor of the nasal cavities, which also

form the roof of the mouth, is made up
by the bones of the hard palate: the
horizontal plate of the palatine bone
posteriorly and the palatine process of
the maxilla anteriorly. The most anterior
part of the nasal cavity is the nasal
vestibule.[4] The vestibule is enclosed by
the nasal cartilages and lined by the
same epithelium of the skin (stratified
squamous, keratinized). Within the
vestibule this changes into the typical
respiratory epithelium that lines the rest
of the nasal cavity and respiratory tract.
Inside the nostrils of the vestibule are the
nasal hair, which filter dust and other
matter that are breathed in. The back of
the cavity blends, via the choanae, into
the nasopharynx.

The nasal cavity is divided in two by the

vertical nasal septum. On the side of
each nasal cavity are three horizontal
outgrowths called nasal conchae
(singular "concha") or turbinates. These
turbinates disrupt the airflow, directing
air toward the olfactory epithelium on the
surface of the turbinates and the septum.
The vomeronasal organ is located at the
back of the septum and has a role in
pheromone detection.

The nasal cavity has a nasal valve area

that includes an external nasal valve and
an internal nasal valve. The external
nasal valve is bounded medially by the
columella, laterally by the lateral nasal
cartilage, and posteriorly by the nasal
sill.[5] The internal nasal valve is bounded
laterally by the caudal border of the
lateral nasal cartilage, medially by the
dorsal nasal septum, and inferiorly by the
anterior border of the inferior turbinate.[6]
The internal nasal valve is the narrowest
region of the nasal cavity and is the
primary site of nasal resistance in a
normal nose.[7]

Segments

The nasal cavity is divided into two

segments: the respiratory segment and
the olfactory segment.

The respiratory segment comprises

most of each nasal cavity, and is lined
with ciliated pseudostratified columnar
epithelium (also called respiratory
epithelium). The conchae, or
turbinates, are located in this region.
The turbinates have a very
vascularized lamina propria (erectile
tissue) allowing the venous plexuses
of their mucosa to engorge with blood,
restricting airflow and causing air to be
directed to the other side of the nose,
which acts in concert by shunting
blood out of its turbinates. This cycle
occurs approximately every two and a
half hours.
The olfactory segment is lined with a
specialized type of pseudostratified
columnar epithelium, known as
olfactory epithelium, which contains
receptors for the sense of the smell.
This segment is located in and
beneath the mucosa of the roof of
each nasal cavity and the medial side
of each middle turbinate. Histological
sections appear yellowish-brown due
to the presence of lipofuscin pigments.
Olfactory mucosal cell types include
bipolar neurons, supporting
(sustentacular) cells, basal cells, and
Bowman's glands. The axons of the
bipolar neurons form the olfactory
nerve (cranial nerve I) which enters the
brain through the cribriform plate.
Bowman's glands are serous glands in
the lamina propria, whose secretions
 trap and dissolve odoriferous
substances.

Blood supply

There is a rich blood supply to the nasal

cavity. Blood supply comes from
branches of both the internal and
external carotid artery, including
branches of the facial artery and
maxillary artery. The named arteries of
the nose are:

Sphenopalatine artery and greater

palatine artery, branches of the
maxillary artery.
Anterior ethmoidal artery and posterior
ethmoidal artery, branches of the
 ophthalmic artery
Septal branches of the superior labial
artery, a branch of the facial artery,
which supplies the vestibule of the
nasal cavity.[8]

Nerve supply

Innervation of the nasal cavity

responsible for the sense of smell is via
the olfactory nerve, which sends
microscopic fibers from the olfactory
bulb through the cribriform plate to reach
the top of the nasal cavity.

General sensory innervation is by

branches of the trigeminal nerve (V1 &
V2):
 Nasociliary nerve (V1)
Anterior Ethmoidal nerve from the
nasociliary nerve (V1)
Posterior nasal branches of Maxillary
nerve (V2)

The nasal cavity is innervated by

autonomic fibers. Sympathetic
innervation to the blood vessels of the
mucosa causes them to constrict, while
the control of secretion by the mucous
glands is carried on postganglionic
parasympathetic nerve fibers originating
from the facial nerve.

Function
The two nasal cavities condition the air
to be received by the other areas of the
respiratory tract. Owing to the large
surface area provided by the nasal
conchae (also known as turbinates), the
air passing through the nasal cavity is
warmed or cooled to within 1 degree of
body temperature. In addition, the air is
humidified, and dust and other
particulate matter is removed by nasal
hair in the nostrils. The entire mucosa of
the nasal cavity is covered by a blanket
of mucus, which lies superficial to the
microscopic cilia and also filters inspired
air. The cilia of the respiratory epithelium
move the secreted mucus and
particulate matter posteriorly towards
the pharynx where it passes into the
esophagus and is digested in the
stomach. The nasal cavity also houses
the sense of smell and contributes
greatly to taste sensation through its
posterior communication with the mouth
via the choanae.

Clinical significance

Diseases of the nasal cavity include viral,

bacterial and fungal infections, nasal
cavity tumors, both benign and much
more often malignant, as well as
inflammations of the nasal mucosa.
Many problems can affect the nose,
including:
 Deviated septum - a shifting of the wall
that divides the nasal cavity into halves
Nasal polyps - soft growths that
develop on the lining of the nose or
sinuses
Nosebleeds
Rhinitis - inflammation of the nose and
sinuses sometimes caused by
allergies. The main symptom is a runny
nose.
Nasal fractures, also known as a
broken nose
Common cold
Sinonasal tumors [9]

See also
 Nasal irrigation
Danger triangle of the face

References

1. Standring S (2016). Gray's Anatomy: The

Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice
(Forty-first ed.). Elsevier. pp. 556–565.
ISBN 978-0-7020-5230-9.
2. "Nasal fossa" (https://medical-dictionary.t
hefreedictionary.com/nasal+fossa) .
TheFreeDictionary.com.
3. Knipe H. "Ostiomeatal complex" (https://r
adiopaedia.org/articles/ostiomeatal-com
plex?lang=gb) . Radiology Reference
Article. Radiopaedia.org.
4. Beitler JJ, McDonald MW, Wadsworth JT,
Hudgins PA (2016). "Sinonasal Cancer".
 Clinical Radiation Oncology. Elsevier.
pp. 673–697.e2. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-
24098-7.00036-8 (https://doi.org/10.101
6%2Fb978-0-323-24098-7.00036-8) .
ISBN 978-0-323-24098-7. "The nasal
vestibules are the two entry points into
the nasal cavity. Each is a triangle-shaped
space situated in front of the limen nasi
and defined laterally by the lateral crus
and alar fibrofatty tissue, medially by the
medial crus of the alar cartilage and the
nasal septum and the distal end of the
cartilaginous septum, and columella."
5. Hamilton, Grant S. (May 2017). "The
External Nasal Valve" (https://pubmed.nc
bi.nlm.nih.gov/28340649/) . Facial
Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America.
25 (2): 179–194.
doi:10.1016/j.fsc.2016.12.010 (https://do
 i.org/10.1016%2Fj.fsc.2016.12.010) .
ISSN 1558-1926 (https://www.worldcat.or
g/issn/1558-1926) . PMID 28340649 (htt
ps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2834064
9) .
. Murthy, V. Ashok; Reddy, R. Raghavendra;
Pragadeeswaran, K. (August 2013).
"Internal Nasal Valve and Its Significance"
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl
es/PMC3738809/) . Indian Journal of
Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery.
65 (Suppl 2): 400–401.
doi:10.1007/s12070-013-0618-x (https://d
oi.org/10.1007%2Fs12070-013-0618-x) .
ISSN 2231-3796 (https://www.worldcat.or
g/issn/2231-3796) . PMC 3738809 (http
s://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P
MC3738809) . PMID 24427685 (https://p
ubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24427685) .
7. Fraioli, Rebecca E.; Pearlman, Steven J.
(2013-09-01). "A Patient With Nasal Valve
Compromise" (https://doi.org/10.1001/ja
maoto.2013.4163) . JAMA
Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.
139 (9): 947–950.
doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2013.4163 (https://
doi.org/10.1001%2Fjamaoto.2013.4163) .
ISSN 2168-6181 (https://www.worldcat.or
g/issn/2168-6181) .
. Moore KL, Dalley AF (1999). Clinically
Oriented Anatomy (https://archive.org/det
ails/clinicallyorient00moor) (Fourth ed.).
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins. ISBN 978-0-683-06141-3.
9. Schwartz JS, Tajudeen BA, Kennedy DW
(2019). "Diseases of the nasal cavity" (htt
ps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
 PMC7151940) . Handbook of Clinical
Neurology. 164: 285–302.
doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-63855-7.00018-6
(https://doi.org/10.1016%2FB978-0-444-6
3855-7.00018-6) . ISBN 978-0-444-63855-
7. PMC 7151940 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.ni
h.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7151940) .
PMID 31604553 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nl
m.nih.gov/31604553) .

External links

Look up nasal cavity in Wiktionary, the

free dictionary.
lesson9 (http://www.wesnorman.com/
lesson9.htm) at The Anatomy Lesson
by Wesley Norman (Georgetown
University)
 Gross anatomy dissection of the nasal
cavity, video [1] (https://web.archive.or
g/web/20100128054720/http://anato
my.med.umich.edu/nervous_system/e
ar_vid_D720.html) and [2] (https://we
b.archive.org/web/20100210190035/h
ttp://www.anatomy.wisc.edu/courses/
gross/)

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