I am so excited to take part in this, my second, A – Z Challenge! Last year I did the challenge using “recipes” as my inspiration. Well, this year I’m going to draw on my nursing background and use “parts of the human body” as my inspiration! Hmmm…a part of the body that starts with “Q”, “X” or “Z”….
It should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone interprets the Challenge!
So, without further ado, N is for nose:
Comprised of bone and cartilage, the nose separates into two hollow nostrils. The nostrils open up to the hollow sinus spaces in the head.
The nose serves several functions:
BREATHING - The nasal passages allow air to flow in and out during normal breathing. As a person inhales, the nose warms and humidifies the air before it gets to the lungs. The lining in the nose has many blood vessels at the surface. The warm blood flowing through the nose helps warm the air
CLEANING - The nose has many small hairs inside the nostrils. These hairs serve to filter the air and remove dirt and particles before they enter the lungs. Sneezing and nose blowing help remove the particles out of the body.
SMELL - Smell is one of the most important functions of the nose. The olfactory nerves are pairs of cranial nerves that connect the nose to the brain and assist in perceiving and interpreting smells. Conditions, such as a cold, will decrease the sense of smell. Some people suffer from a condition called anosmia, which is the inability to smell.
TASTE - Although taste is a completely separate sense than smell, the nose plays a role in the way the tongue perceives taste. The aroma of the food plays a role in the taste.
VOICE - The air resonating in the nose assists in giving the voice its particular sound. This is why individuals suffering with a stuffed nose sound differently than normal. The shape of the septum also plays a role in the sound of the voice.
N is also for:
nail A hardened, keratinized plate that develops from the epidermis and forms a protective covering on the surface of the distal phalanges of fingers and toes.
neck 1.Any constricted portion, such as the neck of an organ. 2.The cervical region of the body between the head and thorax.
nephron The functional unit of the kidney, consisting of a glomerulus, convoluted tubules, and a nephron loop.
nerve A bundle of nerve fibers outside the central nervous system.
neuron The structural and functional unit of the nervous system, composed of a cell body, dendrites, and an axon; also called a nerve cell.
neutrophil A type of phagocytic white blood cell, normally constituting about 60% to 70% of the white blood cell count.
nipple A dark pigmented, rounded projection at the tip of the breast.
I found the above definitions at the McGraw-Hill Applied Biology Resource Center. Visit their site and you’ll be amazed to know there are even more “N” parts of the body listed there!