Anatomy - Respiratory system Flashcards
What can respiration mean
Ventilation of the lungs (breathing).
The exchange of gases between air and blood, and between blood tissue and tissue fluid.
The use of oxygen in cellular metabolism (not respiratory system).
What is the respiratory system
The respiratory system is an organ system that rhythmically takes air in and out of the body, thereby supplying the body with oxygen and expelling the carbon dioxide that it generates.
What are the main functions of the respiratory system
- Provide for oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange between the blood and air in the atmosphere.
- It serves for speech and other types of vocalisations such as screaming, laughing or crying.
- It provides the sense of smell, which is important for food selection, and avoiding danger.
- Eliminates CO2, which helps to control the pH of the body fluids.
- Regulation of blood pressure.
- Breathing creates pressure gradients between the thorax and abdomen that promote the flow of lymph and blood.
- Breath-holding helps to expel abdominal contents during urination, defecation and childbirth by creating intra-abdominal pressure. (valsalva manoeuvre).
How does the respiratory system control the pH of body fluids.
Excess of CO2 reacts with water and releases hydrogen ions, therefore if the respiratory system doesn’t keep pace with the rate of COs production, H+ accumulates and the body fluids have abnormally low pH (acidosis), if too much carbon dioxide is being accumulated, the equilibrium shits left, the concentration of H+ ions decreases and we will have an alkalosis.
How does the the respiratory system regulate blood pressure
This is a multifactorial control process, one of the steps , the synthesis of vasoconstrictors in smooth muscle known as angiotensin II, is carried out by lungs and this helps to regulate blood pressure.
Which organs make up the respiratory system
Nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs.
What is the conductive division
It consists of those passages that serve only for airflow, there is no gas exchange, essentially from the nostrils through the major bronchioles.
What is the respiratory division
It consists of the alveoli and other small bronchials, these are responsible for gas exchange.
What is the upper respiratory system
The airway from the nose through the larynx (organs in head and neck)
What is the lower respiratory system
from the trachea through the lungs (respiratory organs of the thorax).
What are the main parts of the nose
Nasal cavity The vestibule Epithelium Conchae Mucus
Nasal cavity
serves as a resonating chamber that amplifies the voice; it divides into 2 nasal fossae by the nasal septum.
The vesitbule
it is made of stratified squamous epithelium like facial skin and contains guard hairs (vibrissae) which blocks insects and debris.
Epithelium
There is olfactory epithelium, found only in the nose, which is specialized in detection pf odours and the cilia doesn’t move.
Then there is respiratory epithelium which is made of pseudo-stratified columnar cells and it lines the nassal fossae folding into the conchae to increase the surface of the epithelium. It has a high degree of blood flow, which allows the warming of air, and therefore, because of Charles law, the expansion of air, helping in the inflation of the lungs during inspiration.
Conchae
superior, middle and inferior trap finer particles in mucus and warm and humidify air.
Mucus
it is made in goblet cells, they trap finer particles and passes to the pharynx to be swallowed.
(it has a protective role)
What is the Pharynx
It is a muscular funnel that joins the nasal cavity to the larynx and is divided into three parts.
What are the main parts of the Pharynx
Nasopharynx
Oropharynx
Laryngopharynx
Nasopharynx
receives air and transports it to the next part of the larynx; it receives the eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the nasopharynx and equalise the pressure on either side of tympanic membrane. It also traps larger particles in the pharyngeal tonsils (immune tissue).
Oropharynx
sits posteriorly to he oral cavity and its purpose is to receive good and liquid while eating, and transmit air to and from the laryngopharynx and nasopharynx. In contains the palatine tonsils.
Laryngopharynx
transmit food, liquid and air to the larynx and oesophagus
What is the larynx
also known as the voice box, consists of nine cartilages, ligaments and muscles. ITs functions are to keep food and drinks out of the airway and PHONATION.
It reacts when the swallowing reflex, which is a two part action: larynx rises and tongue pushes epiglottis down to seal off larynx.
Superior to the trachea there is the laryngeal cartilages which add protection to the anterior part of the larynx and offer anchoring for muscles in head and neck.
What is the trachea
The trachea is a large tube with cartilaginous c-shape rings joined by the trachealis muscle; this makes it flexible and allows it to expand and contract during ventilation.
It is lined by respiratory epithelium and the cilia leads the mucus upwards so it can be swallowed when it reaches the larynx.
About lung tissue…
Three lobes on the right separated by the horizontal and oblique fissure and two in the left lung separated by the oblique fissure.
The tubular structures enter the lungs through the hilum; these include blood vessels and the airways. The pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart, and the pulmonary arteries which carry deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.
At the hilum the visceral pleura reflects to become the parietal pleura and on the inferior side each lung sits on top of the diaphragm..
What is a fissure
A double layer of pleural lining
