Introduction and anatomy of lungs, airways and blood supply

Question 1

Functions of the Respiratory System

Answer 1

Gas exchange
Acid base balance
Protection from infection
Communication via speech

Question 2

Which way does the

pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein flow?

Answer 2

Pulmonary artery travels away from heart and pulmonary vein travels towards heart.

Question 3

Where do O2 and CO2 move during gas exchange at the lungs?

Answer 3

O2 moves from inspired air to blood, CO2 moves from blood to air which is then expired.

Question 4

What does the upper respiratory tract consist of?

Answer 4

Pharynx
Vocal cords
Nasal cavity
Esophagus
Larynx

Question 5

What does the lower respiratory tract consist of?

Answer 5

R & L lung
Trachea
R & L bronchus
Diaphragm

Question 6

Difference between left and right bronchus

Answer 6

The left main bronchus departs from the trachea at a greater angle than that of the right main bronchus. The right bronchus is also wider than the left.
Aspirated foreign bodies commonly lodge at the right bronchus.

Question 7

Where is the point of gas exchange?

Answer 7

Alveoli

Question 8

Is there more or less resistance as you go down the airway?

Answer 8

Resistance decreases as you go down the airway from trachea to alveoli.

Question 9

What is alveoli made of?

Answer 9

Type 1 cells for gas exchange and type 2 cells that synthesise surfactant.
Alveolar macrophages ingest foreign material that reaches the alveoli.

Question 10

Structure of lung lobule

Answer 10

Each cluster of alveolis surrounded by elastic fibers and a network of capillaries.

Question 11

Anatomical dead space

Answer 11

The anatomical dead space fills with inspired air at the end of each inspiration, but this air is exhaled unchanged.
Dead space is the portion of each tidal volume that does not take part in gas exchange.

Question 12

What structures are located on the lining of respiratory tract?

Answer 12

Epithelium 
Glands
Lymph nodes
Blood vessels 
Cilia
Mucous

Question 13

What changes occur for progression from nose to alveoli?

Answer 13

Epithelium becomes more squamous
Cilia is lost
Mucous cells are lost (before cilia)

Question 14

Properties of mucous

Answer 14

Moistens air
Traps particles
Provides large surface area for cilia to act on
Goblet cells
Subepithelial glands

Question 15

Properties of Alveoli

Answer 15

Thin walls
Elastic fibres
Macrophages
Site of gaseous exchange- pneomocytes (Type 1 and 2) , very rich capillary network