What is the pulmonary parenchyma?

Pulmonary parenchyma is a term for lung tissue, including bronchioles, interstitium and alveoli, reports Radiopaedia.org. The function of the parenchyma in the lungs is to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Pulmonary parenchyma is used to refer to the alveoli, which are directly responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, but there are multiple functioning parts of lung tissue that make up this system. Air enters through the mouth, passes into the trachea and then into the pulmonary parenchyma, states About Health. Air enters the main bronchus and passes into tube-like bronchi in each lung. Air next enters the bronchioles, which further separate like tree branches, and finally reaches the alveolar system, which exchanges oxygen for carbon dioxide.