Alveolar ducts are thin passages whose walls are made almost entirely of the openings of alveoli. Each duct ends in alveolar sacs, which are clusters of alveoli sharing a common central space, a little like a bunch of grapes. Together they make up most of the gas exchange tissue of the lung.
| Location | Within each pulmonary acinus, beyond the respiratory bronchioles. |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Pulmonary plexus |
| Blood Supply | Pulmonary arterioles and capillaries |
Distribute air to the alveoli and provide much of the elastic recoil that drives normal quiet breathing out.
Loss of elastic fibres in the walls of ducts and sacs reduces recoil and traps air, a key feature of emphysema. Panacinar emphysema, which involves the whole acinus evenly, is typical of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and affects mainly the lower lobes.
Uniform destruction of the whole acinus including ducts and sacs. It is associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and causes early-onset COPD.
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