Organization Of The Respiratory System

Question 1

What carries oxygen and carbon dioxide primarily?

Answer 1

Hemoglobin = oxygen

Bicarbonate ions = carbon dioxide

Question 2

What is the primary variable/factor that the respiratory system monitors to change respiratory system (adaption)?

Answer 2

Levels of carbon dioxide (PCO2)

Question 3

Common abbreviations used in respiratory system measurements

Answer 3

P = gas pressure/partial pressure

Q = blood flow

V = gas volume

F = fractional concentration of gas

A = alveolar gas content

a = arterial blood gas

v = venous blood gas

I = inspired gas

E =. Expired gas

L = Transpulmonary pressures

TM = Transmurual pressures

Question 4

Abbreviations for respiratory volumes

Answer 4

TLC = total lung capacity
- normal value = 5-6L

FRC = functional residual capacity
- normal value is 2.4L

VC = vital capacities
- normal value is 4.7L

TV = tidal volume
- normal value is 0.5L

FVC =. Forced vital capacity
- normal value is 4.7L

FEV1 = forced vital capacity expired in 1 second

FVC/FEV1 or FEV1% = ratio of FVC: FEV1
- normal is 0.8

Question 5

Normal partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in arterial blood

Answer 5

100 mmHg = Oxygen

40 mmHg = carbon dioxide

this is also the same concentration generally in the normal alveolar air

Question 6

Normal partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in mixed venous blood

Answer 6

40 mmHg = oxygen

46 mmHg = carbon dioxide

Question 7

What is normal barometric pressure at sea level?

Answer 7

760 mmHg

• getting above sea level lowers this
• getting below sea level raises this
• note that oxygen is 21%, nitrogen is 78% of the air partial pressures*
• oxygen partial pressure at sea level is approximately 160 mmHg

Question 8

Dalton’s law for dry land

Answer 8

Total pressure of gas equals the sum of the partial pressures of the individual pressures

to find the partial pressures of gases:
(fraction of gas (%)) x (barometric pressure)

Question 9

Dalton’s law for wet land

Answer 9

Same as dry land, however finding the individual partial pressures changes

partial pressures of humidified gas = (fraction of gas (%)) x ((barometric pressure) - (partial pressure of water))

Note that at sea level, water pressure is 47mmHg and remains constant in human bodies (so you dont have to worry about changing this value if your at high altitudes)

Question 10

Does oxygen or carbon dioxide have a higher solubility constant?

Answer 10

Carbon dioxide (usually around 0.03 compared to the 0.0013 of oxygen)

• note: in the human body, the amount of oxygen dissolved is directly proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen*
• however it does NOT equal the amount of oxygen in the blood since most is bound by hemoglobin and not dissolved

Question 11

Number of parts containing to each part of the conducting zone

Answer 11

Trachea = 1

Primary bronchi = 2

Secondary bronchi = 4

Tertiary bronchi = 8

note alveolar sacs are not part of the conducting system, but include roughly 6,000,000

Question 12

What are the ANS receptors in the respiratory system?

Answer 12

Sympathetic =Beta 2
- bronchodilation

Parasympathetic = muscarinic receptors (M3)
- bronchoconstriction

This is found in all portions of the conducting zone, but NOT in the respiratory zone

Question 13

Where does villa stop being present in the respiratory tract?

Answer 13

Alveolar ducts

• there is some in the respiratory bronchioles*

Question 14

How many generations are there in the lungs?

Answer 14

23

Question 15

Shunted blood

Answer 15

Blood that is shunted from the bronchioles to the pulmonary vein
- occurs in pathological situations and is almost always bad

Pushes deoxygenated blood into the pulmonary vein causing hypoxia

Question 16

Katagener syndrome

Answer 16

Results in immobile cillia due to defects in dynein proteins

Causes frequent respiratory infections, infertility and possible situs inversus/situs ambiguous

Question 17

How much blood is usually in the pulmonary circulation at any point?

Answer 17

10-12%