Organisation - L1

Question 1

What is the general function of respiration?

Answer 1

To get oxygen for use by the body’s cells and to eliminate the carbon dioxide that the body’s cells produce

Question 2

What does respiration encompass?

Answer 2

2 separate but related processes: internal and external respiration

Question 3

Broadly speaking - What is internal respiration?

Answer 3

Oxidative phosphorylation

Question 4

What is external respiration and how many processes?

Answer 4

There are 4 processes
It is the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and body tissues

Question 5

What does internal respiration refer to?

Answer 5

It is cellular respiration and it refers to metabolic processes that are carried out within the mitochondria. This uses oxygen and makes carbon dioxide while deriving energy from nutrient molecules

Question 6

4 broad steps of external respiration:

Answer 6

1. Ventilation or gas exchange between the atmosphere and air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs.
2. Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between air in the alveoli and the blood in the pulmonary capillaries.
3. Transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide by the blood between the lungs and the tissues.
4. Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood in the systemic capillaries and the tissue cells.

Question 7

Secondary functions? HINT 7

Answer 7

1. Short term regulation of pH (acid-base balance)
2. Enabling speech, singing, and other vocalizations
3. Help in defense against pathogens in the airways
4. Removes, modifies, activates (i.e. angiotensin II), or inactivates (i.e. prostaglandins) various materials passing through the pulmonary circulation
5. Eliminates heat and water
6. Assist venous return
7. Nose serves as the organ of smell

Question 8

What is the anatomy of the respiratory system?

Answer 8

Lungs, respiration airways leading into the lungs and structures of the thoracic cavity

Question 9

Upper airways consists of:

Answer 9

Nasal cavity - nose, oral cavity, epiglottis, pharynx and larynx

Question 10

Respiratory zone?

Answer 10

Alveolar sac and alveoli

Question 11

Structure of the Conducting zone?

Answer 11

Primary, secondary and tertiary bronchi, bronchioles and trachea

Question 12

What is trachea?

Answer 12

C shaped bands of cartilage for structural rigidity

Question 13

Diameter and length of trachea?

Answer 13

2.5cm diameter and 10cm long

Question 14

Primary bronchi?

Answer 14

Just the rings of cartilage - right and left

Question 15

Secondary bronchi?

Answer 15

right side has 3 lobes of right lung and left side has 2 lobes of the left lung

Question 16

Tertiary bronchi?

Answer 16

20-23 orders of branches with up to 8 million tubules

Question 17

Bronchioles? Is there cartilage why/why not… what is there instead

Answer 17

Less than 1mm in diameter
No cartilage as there is risk of collapse
To prevent this, there is walls of elastic fibres and smooth muscle

Question 18

Functions of the conducting zone?

Answer 18

Air passageway that is 150mL volume of dead space volume
Humidify air
Increase air temperature to body temperature

Question 19

Structures of respiratory zone?

Answer 19

Alveoli, alveolar sacs, alveolar ducts, and respiratory bronchioles

Question 20

Epithelium of conducting zone is made up of which 2 specialised cells? what are their functions?

Answer 20

Goblet cells that secret mucus and trap foreign particles
Ciliated cells that move the mucus up the glottis to be swallowed or released - this process is called mucus escalator

Question 21

What is the function of the respiratory zone?

Answer 21

To exchange gases between air and blood via diffusion

Question 22

What is the epithelium of the respiratory zone made up of?

Answer 22

Respiratory membrane that has epithelial cells of alveoli and endothelial cells of capillary

Question 23

What is the alveoli the site for?

Answer 23

Alveoli is the site of gas exchange

Question 24

Size of alveoli?

Answer 24

300-500 million

Question 25

3 cell types of alveoli and functions?

Answer 25

Type I alveolar cells:
- Make up wall of alveoli, single layer epithelial cells

Type II alveolar cells:
- Secrete surfactant
- Reduces surface tension in alveolar walls
- Helps prevent alveolar collapse

Alveolar macrophages:
- Removes foreign particles

Question 26

What forms a sheet over alveoli and acts as a rich blood supply?

Answer 26

Capillaries

Question 27

What do the pores of Kohn in alveoli allow?

Answer 27

Pores of Kohn permit airflow between adjacent alveoli (collateral ventilation)

Question 28

What is the respiratory membrane a barrier for?

Answer 28

Barrier for diffusion
Alveoli: Type 1 cells and basement membrane
Capillaries: endothelial cells and basement membrane

Question 29

How thick is the respiratory membrane?

Answer 29

0.2 microns thick