Final answer:
The C-shaped cartilaginous rings that create an airway are found in the trachea or windpipe. These rings of hyaline cartilage provide structural support to the trachea, which is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium and mucus-producing goblet cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The structure with C-shaped cartilaginous rings that creates an airway is the trachea. The trachea, also known as the windpipe, extends from the larynx toward the lungs and is composed of 16 to 20 C-shaped pieces of hyaline cartilage. These cartilaginous rings provide structural support to prevent the trachea from collapsing and are connected by dense connective tissue and the trachealis muscle. This anatomical feature allows the trachea to maintain an open airway for air to pass through as it travels to and from the lungs.
The lining of the trachea includes pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells, which produce mucus to catch particles and cilia to move the particles toward the pharynx. The trachealis muscle can contract to force air through the trachea and help expel mucus when coughing. Air enters the trachea after passing through the nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx, then funnels down to the lungs where the trachea branches into the primary bronchi, forming part of the bronchial tree. This entire system is essential for respiration and protecting the respiratory tract from foreign particles.