The smallest air passages in the lungs, branching from the bronchi and leading to the alveoli where gas exchange occurs. They lack cartilage and are surrounded by smooth muscle that can constrict during asthma attacks.
From Greek 'bronchos' meaning windpipe with the diminutive suffix '-ole,' literally meaning 'little bronchi.' The term emphasizes their small size compared to the main bronchi.
Bronchioles are where asthma really strikes! These tiny tubes are only 1mm wide but are surrounded by smooth muscle that can squeeze shut in seconds during an attack, which is why rescue inhalers work so quickly to relax this muscle.
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