Posted by My STEAM piece for Human Anatomy and Physiology I demonstrates and explains the anatomy and physiology of the human nose, focusing specifically on its tissues. I am going to note and explain the different types of tissue present in the human nose and what their functions are. I created a drawing of a profile view of a human nose and sectioned it using bright colors to create a visual aid to demonstrate where each part of the nose is that I will be explaining in this statement.
I will start by describing the bones that are found in the nose- the maxilla bone and the nasal bone. The maxilla is a bone in the skull that forms the jaw, eye socket, and nose. We can recall that bone is a connective tissue containing cells- osteocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. The maxilla provides much of the structure in a person’s face. Another important bone in the nose is the nasal bone. The nasal bone is actually made up of two oblong bones. Nasal bones look different in every nose, which is why human all have uniquely shaped and sized noses. The nasal bone is the hardest bone in the nose and therefore protects the nasal septum, arteries, and nerves in the nose.
The most abundant type of tissue found in the nose is cartilage. There are four different areas of cartilage found in the human nose: septal cartilage, lateral cartilage, major alar cartilage, and minor alar cartilage. Septal cartilage is found in the septum and is composed of hyaline cartilage. We can recall that hyaline cartilage is cartilage that is gray-ish in color and firm to the touch. It contains an abundance of collagen and has no nerves or blood vessels. It is utilized in the nose for its strong support and flexibility. Lateral nasal cartilage is also composed of hyaline cartilage. It is fused to the septum of the nose and supports the nasal cavities. Beneath the lateral cartilage of the nose is the major alar cartilage which is also composed of hyaline cartilage. Behind the major alar cartilage of the nose are the minor alar cartilages. They are four pieces of hyaline cartilage that give the nose more form and strength.
The nose also contains fibro-fatty tissue. Fibro-fatty tissue is what makes up the sidewall and outer part and sidewall of the nose around the nostril. More of this tissue makes the base of the nose appear wider while less of it makes it appear thinner. How much or how little someone has depends on their genetics and their ethnicity.
