Mechanics Of Breathing 😮💨 Flashcards
Respiration refers to 2 things
- Cellular respiration: binding glucose with oxygen to produce ATP within the cell
- External respiration: movement of gases from the external environment into cells of the body
Ventilation includes
Inspiration and expiration which is responsible for the bulk flow of air
Primary functions of the respiratory system includes
- Gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the external environment and body
2. Homeostatic regulation of pH to retention/excretion of CO2.
*(When you hearCO2 think pH) - Protection from inhaled pathogens and irritants
- Vocalization
What is another important function of the respiratory system
Conditioning the inhaled air by humidifying and warming it to match the internal conditions. Example air outside the body is 24°C and 30 to 50% humidity, air in the lungs is 37 degrees Celsius and 100% humidity. This is best that she by inhaling through the nasal cavity with help of the nasal concha that swirl the air
What are some similarities in the respiratory system with the cardiovascular system
- Air, like fluids flow from areas of high pressure to low pressure
- A muscular pump creates the pressure gradient
- Resistance to flow is primarily influenced by the diameter of the tubes
The conducting portion of the respiratory tract
Carries air into the lungs towards the alveoli in the respiratory portion where gas exchange happens. The conducting portion does not take part in gas exchange as such is considered anatomic dead space
The lungs are located within
Pleura sacks in the thoracic cavity.
Outside the lungs is covered by
Visceral pleura
The pleural cavity’s are lined with
Parietal pleura
Between the plural of membranes is the plural space that is filled with
Pleural fluid about 25 to 30 ML‘s that keeps the two functionally stuck together
Respiratory muscles pull on the
Parietal pleura which in turn pulls on the visceral pleura and opens the lungs creating a low pressure space and air flows into the lungs
Respiratory epithelium is made of
Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium cells and goblet cells
A thin layer of
Saline fluid covers the epithelium, with a mucus layer over that. Together these trap in hell dust/pathogens and move them towards the pharynx termed mucociliary escalator. For swallowing or spitting out.
The Saline layer is created by
Movement of chlorine ions by epithelial cell transporters/channels, sodium diffusion, and osmosis.
Without the Saline layer
The escalator does not function and is the cause of cystic fibrosis
Alveoli are surrounded by
- Capillaries carrying blood to exchange gases.
- Elastic and collagen connective fibers that help prevent over inflation (they provide elastic recoil).
- There is not muscle around Alveoli therefore they do not constrict, like there is around bronchioles. 
Alveoli are made of
Two simple squamous epithelium cells types, plus free macrophages that clean up alveolar tissue
•type 1 and type 2
Type one alveolar cells
95%, make up the blood air barrier and allow gas exchange
Type 2 alveolar cells
5% produce surfactant that reduces surface tension within Alveoli and helps keep them inflated/open
The blood air barrier is composed of
Type one alveolar cells and endothelial cells simple squamous epithelium of capillaries, connected by a thin basement membrane. All three layers together are about 0.5 micro meters thick which allows very easy and fast diffusion across it.
(Compare mature erythrocytes are seven micro meters diameter)
Air is a mixture of
Gases and water vapor that follow similar rules as the flow of liquids
Table 17.1 p. 542
Pressure is measured in
Millimeters of mercury, tour, or centimeters of water or kilopascals
We will use mmhg
At sea level normal atmospheric pressure is (Patm)
760 mmHg. As a convention this value is scaled 0 mmHg for simplicity. 
Dalton’s law describes
The relationship of partial pressure (Pgas) of gases in a mixture. The contribution of each individual gases pressure in a mixture of the total pressure.
Partial pressure is related to
The concentration of the individual gas and changes with concentration of water vapor in the mixture 
Fig. 17.6c p. 541
Example air is composed of 21% oxygen at sea level with dry air what is the partial pressure of oxygen
760 mmHg x 0.21 = Po2 of 160mmhg
(In dry air at sea level)