6.2 Functions of the Respiratory System Flashcards
What’s the primary function of the respiratory system?
Gas exchange.
What drives the gas exchange?
The difference in the pressure of the gasses.
Because the deoxygenated blood in the pulmonary arteries have low oxygen, the high pressure of oxygen in the lungs goes there, going down the gradient.
The opposite happens with CO2.
How does the nose fight infection?
The nose hairs trap bacteria and other fragments.
They also have lysozyme, which are able to attack the peptidoglycan walls of gram-positive bacteria.
What helps fight infection in the alveoli? (X3)
Macrophages help ingest bacteria.
IgA antibodies that are on the mucous membranes
Mast cells- may react with allergens in addition to bacteria.
Draw out the bicarbonate buffer system.
What is normal pH of the body?
7.35-7.45
