Final answer:
The surface area of the nasal mucosa can be increased to improve the process of warming, filtering, and humidification of inhaled air. The features that contribute to this include the nasal conchae, mucus-producing cells, and a rich blood supply.
Step-by-step explanation:
The surface area of the nasal mucosa can be increased by several structural features in order to improve the process of warming, filtering, and humidification of inhaled air. These features include:
- Nasal conchae: Three scroll-like structures called nasal conchae create narrow and curved air passages in the nasal cavity, which increase the surface area of the nasal mucosa. The conchae help to swirl and turbulence the inhaled air, allowing it to come into contact with a larger surface area of the nasal mucosa, facilitating the warming, filtering, and humidification processes.
- Mucus-producing cells: The nasal mucosa contains goblet cells that produce mucus. The mucus traps airborne particles and dust, preventing them from entering the respiratory system.
- Blood supply: The nasal mucosa is highly vascularized with a rich blood supply, which helps in warming the inhaled air as the blood carries heat from the body to the nasal mucosa.