1. Histology of the Respiratory System Flashcards
What are the broad functions of the respiratory system?
To ensure all tissues receive the oxygen that they need and can dispose of the carbon dioxide they produce.
What is the kinetic theory of gases?
Gases are a collection of molecules moving around a space, generating pressure by colliding with the walls of the space. As collisions become more frequent and harder, pressure goes up.
What is Boyle’s law?
If a given amount of gas is compressed into a smaller volume, the molecules will hit the wall more often, therefore pressure will rise. If the temperature is constant, pressure is inversely proportional to volume.
What is Charles’ law?
The kinetic energy of molecules increases with temperature. As temperature increases, the molecules hit the walls more often, so pressure increases. Pressure is proportional to absolute temperature.
What is the universal gas law?
It allows the calculation of how the volume will change as pressure and temperature changes. Pressure x volume = gas constant x temperature (K).
What is partial pressure?
In a mixture of gases, molecules of each type behave independently. So each gas exerts its own pressure, which is a portion of the total pressure - a partial pressure.
How is partial pressure calculated?
As a fraction of the total pressure as the volume fraction of the gas in the mixture.
What is vapour pressure?
In biological systems, gas mixtures are always in contact with water. So gas molecules dissove, and water molecules evaporate, and then exert their own partial pressure. This partial pressure is the vapour pressure.
What is the saturated vapour pressure?
When the rate of molecules entering and leaving water at the same time is equal, this is the saturated vapour pressure. When gases enter our body, they are completely saturated with water vapour.
Why do gases in the body have to be saturated with water?
So they don’t dry out the lungs.
What is gas tension?
Gas tension in liquids indicate how readily the gas will leave the liquid. At equilibrium, tension = partial pressure.
What is the content of gas in a liquid?
The amount of gas that enters a liquid to establish a particular tension that is determined by solubility.
What does the content of gas in a liquid depend on?
It’s solubility, content = solubility x tension.
How can the content of gas in a liquid be calculated when the gas reacts with a component of the liquid?
The reaction must firstly be complete. Total content = reacted gas + dissolved gas.
What is the total oxygen gas content in blood?
8.93 mmol/L.
How is the oxygen content in blood calculated? (Include values).
Total = oxygen bound to haemoglobin + oxygen dissolved in plasma = 8.8 + 0.13 = 8.93 mmol/L.
What is the tidal volume of the lung?
The lung volume that represents the amount of air that is displaced between normal inspiration and expiration, when extra effort is not applied.
What is respiratory rate/ pulmonary ventilation rate?
The number of breaths taken in a set time, usually 60 seconds.
What are the two circulations of the lungs?
Pulmonary and bronchial.
What is the bronchial circulation part of?
The systemic circulation.
What is the function of the bronchial circulation?
Meets the metabolic needs of the lungs.
What is the function of the pulmonary circulation?
Blood supply to the alveoli for gas exchange.
How can the pulmonary circulation work at a low pressure whilst still accepting the entire cardiac output?
It has short, wide vessels, lots of capillaries that are joined in parallel and arterioles with relatively little smooth muscle.
Why do ventilation and perfusion of alveoli need to be matched?
For efficient oxygenation.
How is ventilation matched with perfusion?
By diverting blood from alveoli that are not well ventilated. Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction - alveolar hypoxia results in vasoconstriction of pulmonary vessels, and the increased resistance means less flow to the poorly ventilated areas and greater flow to well-ventilated areas.
What is a complication of chronic hypoxic vasoconstriction?
Right ventricular failure due to high afterload on right ventricle from the chronic increase in resistance, this leads to its failure.
What is the upper respiratory tract?
The parts of the respiratory system lying outside of the thorax. This includes the nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx.
What is the lower respiratory tract?
The parts of the respiratory system lying inside the thorax. This includes the trachea, main/ pulmonary bronchi, lobar bronchi (three on right, two on left), segmental bronchi, subsegmental bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles, respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, and alveolar.
How do bronchi and bronchioles differ?
Bronchi have cartilage in their walls, bronchioles don’t. Bronchioles have more smooth muscle than bronchi.
How many terminal bronchioles are there?
Approximately 200000.
How many alveoli are there?
Approximately 300000000.
What is the general role of the lungs?
To get air to one side and blood to the other of a very thin membrane with a large surface area.
How are trachea and bronchi held open?
With cartilaginous rings. This provides a path for air to travel to the alveoli.
What are the two cell types and their functions in the alveoli?
Type I cells, simple squamous epithelia for diffusion.
Type II cells, produce surfactant to reduce the surface tension of the alveoli.
What are the parts of the nose structure?
External nose and nasal cavity - divided into right and left cavities by the nasal septum.
What are the functions of the nose?
Smelling, respiration, filtration of dust, humidification of inspired air, and reception and elimination of secretions from paranasal sinuses and nasolacrimal ducts.
Where is the peripheral organ of smell?
In the olfactory area of the nose.
What happens to air passing over the respiratory area of the nose?
It is warmed and moistened before it passes through to the lungs.
How do the conchae of the nose sit?
Superior, middle and inferior nasal conchae curve inferiomedially, hanging from the lateral wall of the nasal cavity.
What are nasal conchae/ terbinates?
Scroll-like structures that offer a vast surface area for heat exchange.
Which nasal conchae is the longest and broadest?
The inferior concha.
What bone forms the inferior concha?
An independent bone.
What bone forms the middle and superior conchae?
Ethmoid bone, from the medial processes.
What divides the nasal cavity into five passage?
A recess/ nasal meatus underneath the terbinates.
What are paranasal sinuses?
Air-filled extensions of the respiratory part of the nasal cavity into cranial bones.
What are the paranasal sinuses, and how are they names?
Frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid, and maxilla - named according to the bones in which they are located.
Where are the right and left frontal sinuses?
Between the outer and inner tables of the frontal bones, posterior to the superciliary arches and the root of the nose.
When do the frontal sinuses become detectable?
From age 7.