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Respiratory System > Introduction and Anatomy of Lungs, Airways and Blood Supply > Flashcards

Introduction and Anatomy of Lungs, Airways and Blood Supply Flashcards

1
Q

What are the four functions of the respiratory system?

A
  1. Gas exchange - oxygen added to the blood from atmosphere, carbon dioxide removed from the blood into the atmosphere.
  2. Acid-base balance - regulation of body pH (renal function also).
  3. Protection from infection - goblet cells secrete mucus, cilia
  4. Communication - speech is produced from air passing over the vocal cords in the larynx.
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2
Q

Why do we breathe and why is gas exchange so important?

A

It is required to produce energy.

We burn oxygen to release energy in the form of ATP, producing carbon dioxide as a waste product - this is cellular respiration. External respiration acquires this O2 from the atmosphere.

CO2 is toxic and build up in the body can lead to a coma, therefore gas exchange in the lungs is important to expel it from the body.

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3
Q

How does blood travel in the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein in relation to the lungs?

A

Pulmonary artery - travels AWAY from the heart and TOWARD the lungs, carrying deoxygenated blood rich in CO2.

Pulmonary vein - travels AWAY from the lungs and TOWARD the heart, carrying blood rich in O2.

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4
Q

What side of the heart does deoxygenated blood travel through?

A

The right side

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5
Q

What is the net volume of gas exchanged in the lungs per unit of time?

A

250ml/min O2
200ml/min CO2

This is the same for gas exchanged at tissues.

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6
Q

Which components make up the upper respiratory tract?

Which components make up the lower respiratory tract?

A

Upper - nose, pharynx, epiglottis, larynx, mouth, oesophagus, tongue

Lower - trachea, brochi, lungs, diaphragm

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7
Q

What does patency refer to?

A

Openness

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8
Q

How is patency maintained in the trachea?

A

By the C-shaped rings of cartilage.

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9
Q

Describe the branching of the airways?

A

Trachea - bronchi (2x primary bronchus) - secondary bronchus - tertiary bronchus - bronchioles (no cartilage) - alveoli (alveolus)

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10
Q

How does the diameter of the airways relate to resistance?

A

Airway diameter decreases - resistance increases.

Airway diameter increases (smooth muscle relaxes) - resistance decreases.

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11
Q

Why is there more resistance in the conducting zone if these airways have greater diameter?

A

Because although there is a smaller diameter in the bronchioles in the respiratory zone, there is a greater overall cross-sectional surface area (size of a badminton court).

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12
Q

What are the two types of alveolar cells and what are there functions?

A

Type I - most abundant cell, involved in gas exchange.

Type II - not involved in gas exchange, they secrete a surfactant which acts like a detergent, reducing surface tension and makes breathing easier.

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13
Q

What is the site of gas exchange between the lungs and blood, and between blood and tissues?

What is the term given to air which cannot participate in gas exchange?

A

Alveoli (for lungs), capillaries (for tissues)

Anatomical dead space

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14
Q

What is the purpose of mucus and where is it secreted from?

A

Moistens air
Traps particles
Gives larger surface area for cilia to act on

Produced by goblet cells
subepithelial glands

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15
Q

What is ventilation?

A

It is the movement of air into and out of the lungs i.e. the mechanics of breathing.

It does not include gas exchange with blood.

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16
Q

What is external respiration?

A

The overall movement of oxygen from the atmosphere to our cells and carbon dioxide from our cells to the atmosphere.

17
Q

What sort of blood travels through the pulmonary artery?

A

oxygen poor, carbon dioxide rich

18
Q

What sort of blood travels through the pulmonary vein?

A

oxygen rich, carbon dioxide poor

19
Q

Why does respiratory rate and depth of breathing increase when muscles are working during exercise?

A

To cater for the increased energy demand.

It allows for greater substrate (O2) acquisition and waste (CO2) disposal.

20
Q

What is the effect on the CVS when respiratory function is increased during muscle exercise.

A

Increased respiratory rate and depth of breathing causes the heart to pump/contract faster, delivering substrate (O2) to muscle quicker and waste (CO2) to lungs quicker.

The respiratory system and CVS work in tandem.

21
Q

What is the steady state, in terms of gases?

A

The balance between net volume of O2/CO2 exchanged at the lungs/min and the net volume exchanged in the tissues/min.

22
Q

What is the role of the nose and nasal passage in the respiratory system?

A

Air enters the body through the nose, cilia and mucus trap particles and air is warmed and humidified.

Breathing through the nose is preferential to breathing through the mouth.

23
Q

What is the epiglottis and what is its role in the respiratory system?

A

A small flap of tissue over the trachea.

It prevents food from entering the airways when swallowing.

24
Q

What is the larynx?

A

aka the voice box

It produces vibrations when air passes over the vocal cords which produces sound in the form of speech.

25
Q

What is the trachea and what is its function?

A

The section of the respiratory tract just below the larynx.

It is a single cylindrical structure which contains semi-rigid C-shaped cartilage rings which maintain its patency.

26
Q

What are the bronchi?

A

The tubes which follow on from the trachea and enter both lungs at slightly different angles, each bronchus branches into further secondary, tertiary bronchi before becoming bronchioles.

27
Q

How many lobes are in each of the right and left lungs?

A

Right lung = 3

Left lung = 2

28
Q

How does resistance change moving further into the lung?

A

It decreases, this is because the total surface area of the airways increases.

This appears unusual as usually smaller diameter = greater resistance.

29
Q

What is the function of the elastic fibres of the alveoli?

A

They allow increase in volume of alveoli during inspiration and store potential energy which is released on expiration (the passive component of external respiration).

In emphysema, the elastic fibres become damaged and more energy is spent during expiration.

30
Q

What tissue is the lining of the upper respiratory tract?

A

ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium containing goblet cells (mucous secreting)

Respiratory System (26 decks)

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