Anatomy + Physiology Flashcards
What are the 5 key functional features of respiratory system?
- Extensive gas exchange surface area between air and circulating blood
- Moves air to and from exchange surfaces of lungs
- Protects respiratory surfaces from outside environment
- Produces sound
- Participates in olfactory sense
What are the 2 portions of the respiratory tract?
Carry air to and from exchange surfaces in lungs
Has both a…
- conducting portion (nasal cavity -> terminal bronchioles)
- respiratory portion (respiratory bronchioles + alveoli)
Describe the structure of lungs as a whole
Lungs are a network of branched passageways (branch 23 times)
- bronchioles have a irregular dichotomous pattern
- Each airway gives rise to 2 daughter airways
- alveoli surrounded by a dense network of capillaries
- alveoli appear as buds in bronchiole wall from branch 17
- from 20 onwards, whole airway is alveoli
What does the respiratory mucosa consist of, what’s its role?
It consists of an epithelial layer and an areolar layer
- lines conducting portion of respiratory system
- underlined by lamina propria
- in upper respiratory system there are mucous glands
- in conducting portion of lower respiratory system = smooth muscle that allows for dilation of terminal bronchioles
List all of the parts involved in the process of breathing?
- nasal cavity
- palates
- Pharynx
- glottis
- larynx
- trachea
- bronchi + bronchioles
- alveoli
Step 1 of respiratory pathway…
What occurs at the nasal cavity?
- Air enters through nostrils / external nares into nasal vestibule
- Nasal hairs in vestibule assist in 1st part of filtration system
- Air flows through 3 nasal meatuses which humidifies air + filters
Step 2 of respiratory pathway…
What are the 2 parts of palates + role?
Hard palate = forms floor of nasal cavity, separating nasal + oral cavities
Soft palate = extends posterior to hard palate, dividing superior nasopharynx from lower pharynx
Step 3 of respiratory pathway…
What is the pharynx, where is it located?
A chamber shared by digestive + respiratory systems
- extends from internal nares to entrances to larynx + oesophagus
3 divisions = nasopharynx, oropharynx, laryngopharynx
What surrounds the glottis?
The larynx - a cartilaginous structure
Step 4 of respiratory pathway…
What is the role of the glottis?
It’s where the voice box is found
- involved in sound production - formed via air passing through glottis
Step 5 of respiratory pathway…
Describe the trachea
It extends from bottom of larynx to part where it starts to branch off into lungs
- Tracheal cartilages give structure + support + flexibility
- Tracheal muscle allows contraction + pulling of C shaped cartilage at back of trachea to force expired air out
Step 6 of respiratory pathway…
Describe the parts of the bronchi + what’s significant about the 2 parts of bronchi?
Right and left primary bronchi - these are separated by an internal ridge (carina)
- right primary bronchus = larger in diameter + descends at a steeper angle
Each primary bronchus travels to a groove (Hilum) along medial surface of lung
Describe the bronchiole tree structure
Formed by primary bronchi + their branches
- primary bronchus branches to form secondary bronchi (lobar bronchi) in which 1 secondary bronchus goes to each lobe
- extrapulmonary + intrapulmonary bronchi = branching outside or inside lungs
Secondary bronchi branch to form tertiary (segmental) bronchi = each supplies air to a single bronchopulmonary segment
- 10 segments in right lung, 8/9 in left
What do the walls of bronchi contain?
- progressively less cartilage + more smooth muscle
- Increasing muscular effects on airway constriction + resistance
What do bronchioles not have and what are they dominated by?
Do not have cartilage
Dominated by smooth muscle
What is the role of the smooth muscle in bronchioles?
Autonomic control regulates smooth muscle, controlling the diameter of bronchioles, air flow and resistance on lungs
What are bronchodilation and bronchoconstriction?
Bronchodilation = widening of bronchiol airways, caused by sympathetic ANS activation
- reduces resistance
Bronchoconstriction = constriction of bronchi, caused by parasympathetic ANS activation
What are alveoli?
Air filled pockets in lungs
- all gas exchange occurs here
- thin membranes (short diffusion distance)
- Large surface area
What is external respiration - what processes does it include?
It includes all process involved in exchanging O2 + CO2 with the environment
- Pulmonary ventilation
- Gas diffusion
- Storage and transport of O2 + CO2
What is internal respiration also known as?
Cellular respiration
- involves the uptake of O2 and production of CO2 within individual cells
What is pulmonary ventilation?
The physical movement of air in and out of the respiratory tract
- provides alveoli ventilation = same as above just at alveoli
What is Boyles law?
It defines the relationship between gas pressure and volume
P = 1 / V
It is inversely related (as one increases, other decreases)
- e.g. as pressure decreases, volume increases etc
Relating to Boyle’s Law
In a contained gas…
External pressure forces molecules closer together
The movement of gas molecules exerts pressure on the container
Describe the compliance of the lungs
At rest, pressure of lungs = volume of lungs
- this is an indicator of expandability
Low compliance requires greater force, high compliance requires less force
When the rib cage is elevated or diaphragm is depressed during inhalation, what occurs in thoracic cavity regarding volume + pressure?
Volume increases and pressure decreases
Outline inspiration
- Initiated by respiratory control centre in medulla oblongata
- Activation of medulla = contraction of diaphragm + intercostals
- Diaphragm moves downwards + rotates lower ribs towards horizontal plane
- quiet breathing = 1cm
- force inhalation = 10cm - External intercostals also move ribs up + out, increasing thoracic cavity
Outline expiration
- In normal quiet breathing, expiration is a passive event
- Elastic fibres in connective tissues of lungs + surface tension of a film of fluid that coats the alveoli = elastic recoil
What muscles are involved during inspiration?
- Sternocleidomastoid
- scalenes
- external + internal intercostals
- diaphragm
What muscles are involved during expiration?
- internal intercostals
- external + internal abdominal oblique
- transverse + rectus abdominus
What is quiet breathing, what’s it also called?
Eupnea
- involves active inhalation + passive exhalation
- diaphragmatic breathing/ deep breathing = dominated by diaphragm
- costal breathing or shallow breathing = dominated by rib cage movements
What is forced breathing, what’s it also called?
Hyperpnea
- involves active inhalation + exhalation
- assisted by accessory muscles
- maximum levels occur in exhaustion
What’s the formula for volume of air moved each minute?
Breaths per minute x tidal volume
What’s the formula for alveolar ventilation?
Breaths per minute x (tidal volume - dead anatomical space)
What do the following refer to…
- FEV1
- FVC
- FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in 1 second
- FVC = forced vital capacity
- this is the maximum volume of gas that can be expelled from the lungs after maximum inspiration
What is the forced expiratory ratio?
FEV1 / FVC
What is the alveolus, what’s it surrounded by?
An extensive network of capillaries surrounded by elastic fibres
- this allows for the recoil during exhalation, reducing the size of alveoli to push air out of lungs
What are the 2 key adaptations of alveoli for gases to be exchanged efficiently?
- Alveoli walls must be very thin
- Surface area must be vast
Outline the alveolar epithelium - what it consists of, what they are patrolled by etc
- Consists of simple squamous epithelium also called Type I pneumocyte (thin, delicate)
- patrolled by alveolar macrophages (known as dust cells) = carry out phagocytosis of foreign objects
- also contain septal cells (type II pneumocytes) = produce surfactant
What is Henry’s law?
When gas under pressure comes into contact with liquid…
- gas dissolves in liquid until equilibrium is reached
At a given temperature…
- amount of gas in a solution is proportional to PP of that gas
What are the 5 key reasons for efficiency of gas exchange?
- Substantial differences in PP across respiratory membranes
- Distances involved in gas exchange are short
- O2 + CO2 are lipid soluble = rapid movement
- Large surface area
- Blood flow and airflow are coordinated
The blood arriving in pulmonary artery has…
In which the concentration gradient causes…
(Refer to partial pressures)
Low PO2 + High PCO2
O2 to enter and CO2 to leave blood
What is key about the systemic circuit regarding blood, what does this lead to?
Oxygenated blood mixes with deoxygenated blood from conducting passageways
- this lowers the PO2 of blood entering systemic circuit
What are the 3 key types of haemoglobin?
Oxyhaemoglobin
Deoxyhaemoglobin
Carbaminohaemoglobin
Describe the oxygen-haemoglobin saturation curve
- Higher PO2 results in a greater Hb saturation
- its a curve rather than a straight linear line because Hb changes shape each time a O2 molecule is bound
- each O2 bound makes the next O2 binding easier
- this allows Hb to bind O2 when O2 levels are low
Describe the relationship between temperature and Hb saturation
- when temperature increases, Hb releases more oxygen
- when temperature decreases, Hb holds oxygen more tightly
However temperature effects are only significant in active tissues that are generating large amounts of heat
Describe the relationship between pH + haemoglobin
Bohr effect is the result of pH on haemoglobin saturation curve
- CO2 diffuses in RBC
- an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase catalyses reaction with H2O
- produces carbonic acid = dissociates into hydrogen ion + bicarbonate ion
- hydrogen ions diffuse out of RBC, lowering pH
What effect does 2,3 biphosphoglycerate (BPG) have on Hb + O2 association
RBCs generate ATP by glycolysis = forms lactic acid + BPG
- BPG directly affects O2 binding and release (more BPG means more O2 is released from Hb)
When do BPG (biphosphoglycerate) levels rise?
What happens if BPG levels are too low?
- when pH increases
- when stimulated by certain hormones
If BPG levels are too low… haemoglobin will not release oxygen
What are the 3 pathways for carbon dioxide transport?
Are these reversible?
- Dissolve into plasma
- Bind to haemoglobin
- Converted to H2CO3 (carbonic acid)
- all of these are reversible
Describe the local control of respiration (AT TISSUES)
- increased activity of peripheral tissue
- decreased PO2 + increased PCO2
- changes in gas exchange
- increased blood flow
What is neural control of respiration?
When oxygen demand rises…cardiac output + respiratory rates rise under neural control
- both voluntary and involuntary components
Involuntary neural control of respiration
What does it regulate, what does it use?
It regulates respiratory muscle activity
- frequency + depth of inspiration
- responding to info from lungs + respiratory tract
- uses receptors = mechano, chemo, baroreceptors
Voluntary neural control of respiration
What does it regulate and affect?
It regulates activity in cerebral cortex
- affects output of respiratory centres (medulla oblongata + pons) + motor neuron’s
Describe the control of respiration in the PONS
What centres, what these do…
The apneustic and pneumotaxic centres of pons
- these are paired nuclei that adjust output of respiratory rhythmicity centers in medulla oblongata
- regulate respiratory rate + depth of respiration
Higher centres in hypothalamus, limbic system and cerebral cortex can alter activity of pneumotaxic centres
Describe the control of respiration by the MEDULLA OBLONGATA
The main role and the 2 types of groups
Main role is to establish basic pace and depth of respiration
- Dorsal respiratory group = inspiratory centre
- functions in quiet + forced breathing
- when active = diaphragm, external intercostal muscles contract = inhalation - Ventral respiratory group = inspiratory + expiratory group
- functions only in forced breathing
- when VRG expiratory centre is active (ONLY) = inhalation muscles relax and muscles of exhalation contract = Exhalation
What are the 5 key respiratory receptors?
Chemoreceptors
Baroreceptors
Stretch receptors
Irritating physical or chemical stimuli in nasal cavity, larynx or bronchial tree
Other sensations: pain, body temp, abnormal visceral sensations
RESPIRATORY REFLEXES
What are the 2 key mechanoreceptors + what do they do
Baroreceptors in aortic or carotid sinuses
- sensitive to changes in blood pressure
Stretch receptors
- respond to changes in lung volume / lung stretch
What is the Hering-Breuer reflex?
What are the 2 reflexes, what do they do?
2 mechanoreceptors involved in forced breathing (no eupnea or when Vt <1000ml)
- Inflation reflex = prevents over expansion of lungs
- as lung volume increases, DRG is inhibited and VRG is stimulated (expiratory portion) - Deflation reflex = inhibits expiratory centres
- stimulates inspiratory centres (DRG + portion of VRG) during lung deflation
RESPIRATORY REFLEXES
What do chemoreceptors respond to, where are the key locations?
They respond to changes in PCO2, PO2, pH or blood
Respiratory centres are strongly influenced by chemoreceptor input from…
1. Cranial nerve IX in carotid bodies - glossopharyngeal nerve to CNS
2. Cranial nerve X in aortic bodies - to medulla oblongata via vagus nerve
3. Central chemoreceptors that monitor cerebrospinal fluid
What do the following changes result in?
- A drop in PO2 to around 40mm Hg
- A rise of 10% in arterial PCO2
- Increase respiratory rates by 50-70%
- Increase respiratory rates by 100%
CHEMORECEPTOR STIMULATION
What does an increase in PCO2 lead to?
Stimulates chemoreceptors that accelerate breathing cycles at inspiratory centre
- this change increases the respiratory rate, encourages CO2 loss at lungs, and decreases arterial PCO2
CHEMORECEPTOR STIMULATION
What does a decrease in PCO2 lead to?
A decrease in arterial PCO2 inhibits chemoreceptors
- without stimulation, the rate of respiration decreases, slowing the rate of CO2 loss at the lungs and increasing arterial PCO2
Describing the effect of age on respiration
What is happening before birth?
Pulmonary vessels are collapsed
Lungs contain no air
Describing the effect of age on respiration
What happens at birth?
Newborn overcomes force of surface tension to inflate bronchial tree and alveoli to take first breath
Describing the effect of age on respiration
What occurs when you become more elderly?
Deterioration in elastic tissue - lower compliance and VC
Arthritic changes and decreased flexibility
Emphysema - from smoking (destruction of alveoli)
What are the components of the CV system?
Fluid medium
System of channels - blood vessels (vascular system)
Pump - heart
What are the functions of the CV system?
Transport of blood
Maintenance = vasodilation/constriction to maintain homeostasis (temperature etc)
Protection = white blood cells to fight off foreign molecules + dehydration response
How is the CV system divided?
2 parts…
- Pulmonary circuit = blood to and from lungs
- Systemic circuit = blood to and from rest of body
Describe the location of the heart using anatomical terms
Located in the thoracic cavity - near the anterior chest wall, directly posterior to sternum
- between 2 lungs
- apex of heart sits between 4th and 5th rib (called thoracic space)
- base of heart sits more centrally between 3rd + 4th rib
List the 4 key factors influencing the size of someone’s heart
- training/ exercise (thicker walls = hypertrophy)
- size of the person - determines size of pump needed
- aging - decrease in cardiac tissue + reduction in levels of activity (linked)
- sex
Outline the structure of the heart referring to the functions of the chambers
4 chambers functioning as a double pump
2 atria…
- right atrium receives blood from systemic circuit + passes it into right ventricle
- left atrium received blood from pulmonary circuit + passes it to left ventricle
2 ventricles…
- right ventricle receives blood from right atrium + pumps it into pulmonary circuit
- left ventricle received blood from left atrium + pumps it into systemic circuit
What are the values for volume of blood pumped from the heart…
- At rest
- During exercise
- Per day at rest
- 5 L/min
- 15-20 L/min
- 8000 L
What are the 3 tissues that make up the hearts wall?
Pericardium
Epicardium
Myocardium
What’s the pericardium made up of/ function of it?
- Fibrous tissue (collagen) - provides a physiological limit to expansion of heart
- Stabilises heart position - some attachment to diaphragm, great vessels + sternum
- Lubrication (pericardial fluid) - reduce friction + more efficient
What is the myocardium?
A thick muscular layer between epicardium + endocardium
- thickness varies according to function of chambers - left ventricle is thickest
What’s the structure of the myocardium?
Short and wide
Y-shaped + branched = each muscle cell is branching off + interacting with many other muscle cells
Large central nucleus and a large number of mitochondria - lots of O2 + nutrients
Involuntary due to auto-rhythmicity = myogenic
What is the role of intercalated discs?
The junction between cardiac cells made up of 2 components…
- Gap junctions = allow for depolarisation to pass between cells synchronising muscle contraction
- Desmosomes = bind adjacent myocytes together
What does the endocardium do + consist of?
- Covers all inner surfaces of the heart = internal chambers + heart valves
- consists of epithelial tissue and is continuous with epithelium of great vessels
Describe the differences between the 2 ventricles
Both ventricles hold the same amount of blood
- the wall of the LV is thick = cylindrical shape
- the wall of the RV is thin (comparatively) = pouch like shape
Why would a comparable pumping arrangement of the heart + ventricles not work?
- LV delivers blood into systemic circuit where mean pressure is 80-100 mmHg
- pumping blood around systemic circuit requires 4-6 times more pressure than pulmonary circuit
- RV delivers blood into pulmonary circuit where mean pressure is <15 mmHg
List the passageway of blood to the lungs and then to the rest of the body
- Vena cava -> right atrium -> tricuspid valve -> right ventricle -> pulmonary valve -> pulmonary artery
- Pulmonary vein -> left atrium -> bicuspid valve -> left ventricle -> aortic valve -> aorta
Outline what a heartbeat is
A single contraction of the heart
- the entire heart contracts in series - atria first, ventricles second
What are the 2 types of cardiac muscle cells?
- Contractile = produces contractions
- Cardiac pacemaker cells (nodal/ conducting) - SA node, AV node, Purkinje fibres
- These control and coordinate contractile cells
Give an overview of the cardiac cycle (SA node -> contraction)
- SA node depolarises + 2 atria contract
- SA node propagates around atria + arrives at AV node
- AV node has some auto-rhythmicity but depolarises more slowly than SA node
- Imparts a slight delay before reaching threshold + propagating around ventricles (allows blood to enter ventricles)
- Specialised fibres carry it around walls of ventricles (bundle of His + purkinje fibres)
Describe the 5 steps of the ECG Trace
- SA node activity + atria activation begin (60-100 action potentials per min at rest)
- Stimulus spreads across the atrial surfaces + reaches AV node
- There is a 100msec delay at AV node + atrial contraction begins
- Impulse travels along the inter-ventricular septum within the AV bundle and bundle branches to purkinje fibres and, by the moderator band, to the papillary muscles of right ventricles
- Impulse is distributed by purkinje fibres and relayed throughout the ventricular myocardium. Atrial contraction is completed + ventricular contraction begins
What are the 4 types of regulation of the heart rate?
- autonomic nervous system
- catecholamines
- changes in O2 / CO2 levels
- changes in blood pressure
HEART RATE REGULATION 1
What are the 2 main branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS)? Where do these innervate?
Sympathetic nervous system = increases HR
- dominates at exercise + innervates directly at SA node
Parasympathetic nervous system (vagal) = slows HR
- dominates at rest + innervates directly at SA node
HEART RATE REGULATION 2
What are the 2 main types of catecholamines?
Epinephrine (adrenaline)
Norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
HEART RATE REGULATION 2
Where is epinephrine released from, what does it do and how?
It is released by adrenal medulla upon activation of sympathetic nerves innervating this tissue
- in response to exercise, stress, anxiety
It increases HR and contractility = positive inotropic response
- works by binding to adrenergic receptors on heart
HEART RATE REGULATION 2
Where is norepinephrine released from, what does it do and how?
It is released from adrenal medulla but mostly from spillover from sympathetic nerves innervation with blood vessels
Initially increases HR and contractility, but with longer exposure results in decreased HR
- binds to adrenergic receptors
HEART RATE REGULATION 3
What 2 things do chemoreceptors detect that causes…
- an increase in HR
- a decrease in HR
- High CO2 or low pH causes an increase in HR
- Low CO2 or high pH causes a decrease in HR
HEART RATE REGULATION 4 BARORECEPTORS
A low BP = …
Low BP = low stretch of vessels = less stretch of receptor = decreased afferent firing = increases efferent sympathetic firing + decrease parasympathetic firing
What are chordinae tendineae?
Tendonous strings that are attached to the 2 valves (attached to papillary muscles at the other end)
How do chordinae tendineae and papillary muscles work/ what do they do?
They tether these valves to the ventricular wall, so when the papillary muscles contract during ventricular systole, it pulls the chords tight to prevent the valves opening and allowing backwards blood flow
What are the 2 main systems of the CV system?
Arterial and Venous System
Describe the arterial system + components
A high pressure system delivering blood AWAY from the heart
- arteries + arterioles
What is the role of arteries and arterioles + describe structure?
Arteries = carry blood AWAY from heart
Arterioles = smallest branches of arteries that lead to capillary beds
- involved in BP regulation
- just endothelial cells surrounded by smooth muscle
- no elastin like others
What is the capillary bed comprised of?
Capillaries
Pre-capillary sphincters
Thoroughfare channels
Describe capillaries
Smallest blood vessels - thin walls = short DD
- location of exchange between blood vessels + interstitial fluid
Describe pre-capillary sphincters role
Constricts to control blood flow before entering lower pressure venous system
- ensures nothing ruptures under high pressure
Describe thoroughfare channels
A direct channel that link the arterial + venous system
- allows for continuous transition of blood between systems if there’s a blockage in bed
- same sort of role as arteriovenous anastomosis - rapid control of blood flow + temp regulation (bypass of capillary bed = collateral circulation)
List the components of the venous system
Veins and Venules
- skeletal muscle pump + venous valves additionally
Describe venules
Smallest branches of veins that collect blood from capillaries
- low pressure at this point
Describe veins
Returns blood to heart
- smooth muscle present is appropriate for allowing autonomic control over blood flow + pressure
- can vasoconstrict + assisted by skeletal muscle pump
Describe the skeletal muscle pump of the venous system
Skeletal muscle contracts
- valves open superior to contracting muscle
- valves close inferior to contracting muscle
What are venous valves + how do they work?
They are folds in the tunica intima that prevent blood from flowing backwards
- the compression of veins pushes blood towards the heart
- when the walls of veins near the valves weaken = varicose veins could result (enlarged + twisted)
Describe the common blood vessel structure
Have 3 layers = tunica intima, media and externa
- slightly different characteristics between blood vessels
- opening of blood vessel = lumen
- endothelium lines lumen
What is the tunica intima?
It encompasses the endothelial lining + connective tissue layer
- internal elastic membrane (within arteries only) providing passive elasticity to tunica intima
What is the role of the endothelium?
‘Non-stick’ role - releases vasoactive substances which affect vascular tone, BP and flow
- maintains vascular homeostasis
- vasodilators (nitric oxide) - beetroot juice as ergogenic aid (high in dietary nitrate)
- vasoconstrictors (endothelin)
What’s the role of the tunica media?
Contains concentric sheets of smooth muscle in loose connective tissue - elastic fibres in arteries, collagen in veins
- encircles endothelium that lines lumen
- binds to both inner + outer layers
- external elastic membrane (arteries only) - separates media + externa
What is the role of the tunica externa?
Anchors vessel to adjacent tissues
- contains collagen + elastic fibres, smooth muscle cells (in veins)
What is the vasa vasorum?
Small arteries and veins in walls of large arteries + veins
- they serve cells of tunica media + externa with nutrients, energy etc
What are the types of artery?
Elastic arteries
Muscular arteries
Arterioles
(Largest artery = aorta) - high elastic fibre content in tunica media
What do elastic arteries do + describe? Reservoir
Conducting arteries due to constant flow of blood under pressure
- serves as a pressure reservoir = takes pressure from contraction of heart and uses it
- very thin tunica externa
What is an example of a muscular artery - what’s different?
Femoral artery
- tunica media contains more smooth muscle + less elastin
Describe capillaries in more detail - types, what is has/ doesn’t have…
Consists of an endothelial tube, inside a thin basement membrane
- no tunica media or externa
- diameter is similar to that of a RBC
3 types = continuous, fenestrated, sinusoid
What are continuous capillaries - description, roles etc
Found in all tissues of the body (except epithelia + cartilage)
- complete endothelial lining
- permits the diffusion of water, small solutes + lipid-soluble materials (blocks RBC + plasma proteins)
Specialised continuous capillaries found in CNS + thymus = very restricted permeability