Physiology Flashcards
Tidal volume
The volume of gas inhaled or exhaled during a normal breath
Residual volume
Volume of gas remaining after a maximal forced expiration
Inspiratory Reserve Volume
Volume of gas that can be further inhaled at the end of a normal tidal inhalation
Expiratory Reserve Volume
Volume of gas that can be further exhaled at the end of a normal tidal exhalation
Vital capacity
Volume of gas inhaled when maximal expiration is followed by maximal inhalation
Sum of ERV, TV and IRV
Functional Residual Capacity
Volume of gas that remains after a normal tidal expiration
Sum of ERV and RV
3000ml
Closing Volume
Volume of gas over and above residual volume that remains in the lungs when small airways begin to close
Closing Capacity
Lung capacity at which small airways begin to close
Sum of RV and CV
Equation for Pulmonary Vascular Resistance
PVR = (MPAP - LAP)/CO X 80
Dyne.s-1/cm-5
Factors Increasing PVR
PaCO2
Acidosis
Hypoxia
Adrenaline/Noradrenaline
Thromboxane A2
Angiotensin II
5-HT3
Histamine
High or low lung volume
Factors Decreasing PVR
Alkalosis
Isoprenaline
Acetylcholine
Prostaglandins
Nitric Oxide
Increased peak airway pressures/pulmonary venous pressure
Volatile agents
Dead Space
The volume of the airways in which no gas exchange occurs
Anatomical Dead Space
Volume of the conducting airways that does not contain any respiratory epithelium
Nasal cavity to generation 16 terminal bronchioles
Measured by Fowler’s method - 2mls.kg
Alveolar Dead Space
The volume of those alveoli that are ventilated but not perfused
Physiological Dead Space
The sum of anatomical and alveolar dead space
Calculated using the Bohr equation
Fowler’s Method
Measures anatomical dead space
Vital capacity breath of oxygen and then exhales through a nitrogen analyser
Bohr Equation
Calculates physiological dead space ratio to TV
Normally around 30% / ratio 0.3
VD/VT = (PaCO2-PeCO2)/PaCO2
The Pasteur Point
The oxygen concentration below which oxidative phosphorylation cannot occur in the mitochondria.
1mmHg (0.13kPa)
Oxygen Extraction Ratio
The fraction of delivered oxygen that is taken up by the tissues
O2ER = VO2/DO2. Normally 0.2-0.3
Differs between organs, the heart having an OER of 0.6
Doubles in exercise.
P50
Partial pressure of O2 in the blood at which haemoglobin is 50% saturated.
Factors causing Left Shift - increased affinity
Decreased PaCO2
Alkalosis
Decreased temperature
Decreased DPG
Fetal haemoglobin
Carbon monoxide
Methaemoglobin
Factors causing Right Shift - increased offloading
Increased PaCO2
Acidosis
Increased temperature
Increased DPG
Pregnancy
Altitude
Haemoglobin
Bohr Effect
The affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen is reduced by a reduction in pH and increased by an increase in pH
Haldane Effect
Deoxygenated haemoglobin is able to carry more CO2 than oxygenated haemoglobin
-deoxyHb forms carb amino complexes with CO2
-deoxyHb is a better buffer of H+ forming more HCO3
In tissues - Hb gives up O2, affinity for CO2 increases
In lungs - Hb binds O2, affinity for CO2 decreases
Compliance
Volume change per unit change in pressure
ml/cmH2O-1 or L/kPa-1
Static compliance
Compliance of the lung measured when gas flow has ceased
Dynamic compliance
Compliance of the lung measured during the respiratory cycle when gas flow is ongoing
ml/cmH2O-1 or L/kPa-1
Resistance
Pressure change per unit volume
Tell me about sources of physiological acid production…
Respiratory - carbonic
Metabolic
-organic (lactic, FFA, hydroxybutryic) metabolised by liver +/- renal excretion
-inorganic (sulphuric, phosphoric (from proteins)) excreted by kidneys unchanged
Systems for Acid Base Homeostasis
- Buffers - immediate > seconds to minutes. Intracellular and extracelluar
- Respiratory - rapid > minutes to hours
- Renal - slow > hours to days
Definition of Buffer
Solution of a weak acid and its conjugate base, or weak base and its conjugate acid, which resists a pH change when a stronger acid or base is added
Factors affecting Buffers
Amount of buffer presents
pKa of buffer system
pH of carrying solution
Open or closed system
Haemoglobin as a buffer
Intracellular
38 histidine residues on Hb
Very powerful
Albumin as a buffer
Aminyl and carboxyl groups as side chains
Less effective than Hb
Phosphate as a buffer
pKa 6.8
Good intracellular buffer but small amount
Mostly in urine
Carbonic acid/bicarbonate buffer
pKa 6.1
Main ECF buffer
Catalysed by carbonic anhydrase both ways
So rapid that in the Henderson-Hasselbach, PCO2 can be substituted for bicarbonate
Carbon dioxide carriage in blood
25x more soluble than O2
Carried in 3 forms; dissolved in plasma, bicarbonate, carbamino compounds
Arterial-venous difference explained by Haldane Effect
In arterial blood - mostly bicarb
In venous blood - mostly carbamino compounds
Carbon dioxide carriage in red cells
Dissolves into red cells
Can be combined with Hb or catalysed by CA to form bicarb
Both create H+ which needs buffering - deoxyHb(Haldane) and chloride shift (Bohr)
Carbamino compounds form 3.5x more readily with deoxyHb than Hb-O2
Renal buffering
Bulk of H+ secretion and HCO3- reabsorption in PCT
-Na/H antiporter in tubular cells secretes H+ and reabsorbs HCO3- (with Na)
Urine pH determined by intercalated cells in DCT
Final pH controlled by aldosterone - minimum is 4.5
ABG interpretation
- pH - acidaemia or alkalaemia?
- PCO2 and HCO3- respiratory or metabolic?
- Compensation - moves pH back towards normal range
(Bicarb not ideal, because affected by resp and metabolic, and is calculated not measured) - Base excess - negative in metabolic acidosis, positive in metabolic alkalosis
Standard Base Excess
SBE is dose of acid or alkali required to return the ECF (equating to an Hb of 5) to normal pH (7.4) under standard conditions ( 37oC, PCO2 of 5 kPa)
Better reflects buffering of the entire ECF, rather than just whole blood
Davenport Diagram
Shows relationship between pH, PCO2 and bicarbonate
Explains compensatory mechanisms
Not used very much in clinical settings
Anion Gap
In order to maintain electroneutrality, all cations and anions must be balances
Cations - Na and K+
Anions - bicarb and Cl, albumin
AG = [Na+ + K+] - [Cl- + HCO3+]
(8-16)
Causes of High Anion Gap (KILU)
Ketones
Ingestion
Lactate
Urea (renal gain)
Causes of Normal Anion Gap (ABCD)
Addisons
Bicarbonate loss (GI or RTA)
Chloride excess
Diuretics (acetazolamide)
Stewart Model - Strong Ion Difference
Principles of electroneutrality, dissociation and mass conservation must be obeyed
Explains disturbances caused by Cl- or albumin abnormalities
Strong ions lead, weak ions follow
Cl- rise causes a fall in HCO3- to maintain electroneutrality
Five function of the Kidney
- Regulate fluid and electrolyte balance
- Excretion and metabolism of waste
- Acid-base balance
- Long term regulation of blood volume and arterial BP
- Production of Vitamin D and EPO
Gross anatomy of Kidney
Tough renal capsule
Outer cortex
Inner medulla
Renal artery and renal vein (afferent arterioles, capillaries, efferent arterioles, vasa recta)
Structure of a Nephron
1 million nephrons per kidney
Single layer of epithelial cells with variable intercellular junctions
GFR 7L per hour - majority reabsorbed
Multiple selective, adaptable reabsorption mechanisms
Renal tubular cell
Some passive movement of H2O and K+ into interstitium
EPO
Fall in oxygen levels stimulated renal tissues
EPO produced by peritubular cells
Stimulates erythropoiesis by bone marrow
Tell me about Vitamin D…
Skin/UV light produced cholecalciferol from dietary precursors
Liver converts to 25-OH D3
Kidney (pct) converts to 1,25-(OH)2 D
Increases Ca by promoting GI absorption, tubular reabsorption and bone reabsorption
Stimulated by inc PTH, switched off by hyperphosphataemia
Tell me about the Glomerulus…
Produces 120ml/min, or 170L/day of filtrate
Channels between podocytes
Negatively charged so cations and uncharged pass more easily than anions
Filtrate contains
-water
-Na, HCO3, glucose and amino acids in same concentration as plasma (MW<7000)
-no large proteins (55-60kDa)
-no cells
How is net filtration pressure within the glomerulus calculated?
Capillary at high pressure - hydrostatic gradient 40mmHg out
Oncotic pressure into capillary - 26mmHg in
Net filtration pressure of 14mmHg
Proportion of plasma flow filtered = filtration fraction
Glomerular filtration fraction - calculation
RBF = 1.2Lmin (20-25% of output)
Cortical blood flow 10x medullary
RPF = 600-720ml/min
GFR 120ml/min
Therefore FF = 120/720 = 17%
Renal oxygen consumption is approx 18mls/min
GFR Measurement
Compound needs to be readily filtered, not metabolised, reabsorbed or secreted
filtration flow x filtrate conc = urine flow x urine conc
Creatinine - produced at steady state, but small amount of secretion so overestimates
Inulin - freely filtered, has to be infused (not naturally occuring, research tool only)
Cystatin C - no tubular secretion, small protein produced by all cells
GFR proportional to 1/plasma conc
GFR Autoregulation
RBF and GFR remain constant between MAP 70-160mmHg
Capillary bed has afferent and efferent arteriole
-reduced RBF dilates afferent arteriole and constricts efferent arteriole
Tubulo-glomerular feedback
Adenosine
-released in normal state from macula dense
-constricts afferent arteriole
PGE2
-produced in DCT in response to fall in filtration
-dilates afferent arteriole
-inhibit by NSAIDS
Angiotensin II
-produced from RAAS in response to reduced RBF
-constricts efferent arteriole
-inhibited by ACEI and ARBs
Proximal Convoluted Tubule - reabsorption of compounds
Reabsorption of
- Na 70%
- H2O 70%
- HCO3, glucose 99%
Resulting filtrate composition is Na same as plasma, but nil HCO3 or glucose
Glomerulotubular balance - Na/H2O reabsorption is adjusted to match GFR
Has a brush border; rich in mitochondria
How is sodium reabsorbed in the PCT?
Luminal membrane
Na+/H+ antiporter
Na+/Glucose symporter
basement membrane
Co-transport with HCO3-
Na/K ATPase pump
Leaky junctions allow H2O (and Cl-) to follow Na
How is glucose reabsorbed in the PCT?
Normally all filtered via Na+/glucose symporter in the PCT
Can become saturated - Transport maximum (Tmax) = 1.5-2mmol/min
380mg/min - renal threshold 11mmol/L
Resultant glycosuria causes osmotic diuresis
How is bicarbonate reabsorbed in the PCT?
Filtered HCO3- combines with H+ from the Na+/H+ antiporter
Makes H2CO3 which is converted to H2O and CO2 by carbonic anhydrase
CO2 enters tubular cell and reversed into H2CO2 then H+ and HCO3-
HCO3- moves into interstitium via Na/HCO3 co-transport
99% normally reabsorbed
Two Mechanisms of Glomerulotubular balance
(Na/H2O reabsorption is adjusted to match GFR)
- Glucose Load
- As GFR increases, so does filtered load of glucose
- Na/Glucose co-transport means increased reabsorption of both, water follows. - Oncotic pressure
- As GFR increases, protein content in glomerular capillaries increases, so increasing oncotic pressure
- favours movement of ions and water into the capillaries from the interstitial space
What compounds are secreted by the PCT?
Organic anions via active transport carriers
-urate, bile salts, fatty acids and prostaglandins
Organic cations via active transport mechanism
-ACH, catecholamines, histamine and creatinine
Drugs
- aspirin, penicillin, morphine and atropine
What is the role of the Loop of Henle?
Produce hypertonic hyperosmolar interstitial fluid in medulla
Produce hypotonic tubular fluid
Some reabsorption of Na, K and Cl.
Differential Osmolarity through the LOH
Initial tubular fluid - 300 mOsm/L
Medullary interstitium - 1200 mOsm/L
Resulting tubular fluid - 100 mOsm/L
Mechanisms:
-Selective permeability to H2O and ions in descending and ascending limbs
Active reabsorption of Na, K and Cl (& urea) in ascending limb
Counter current multiplier
Descending limb of LOH
Permeable to water
Impermeable to ions
Tubular fluid becomes more concentrated as H2O is lost via AQP1 but ions are retained
Ascending limb of LOH
Impermeable to water
Permeable to ions
Thick portion - tubular fluid becomes more dilute as ions are lost but water remains
Medullary interstitium becomes more concentrated
Ion reabsorption in thick ascending limb
Luminal membrane
-NKCC co-transporter (Na, K, 2 x Cl-)
Basement membrane
passive conductance of K+
Na/K ATPase pump
How does the countercurrent mechanism work?
Starting at 300 mOsm/L at the beginning of the descending limb
-water leaves and fluid becomes hypertonic
-reaches 1200 mOsm/L by the bottom - equal to the medullary interstitium
-travels up the ascending limb and ions leave, water remains, fluid becomes hypotonic
-back to 300 mOsm/L
Vasa recta alongside this - capillary system from the glomerulus
-ions from ascending limb of LoH into descending limb of VR
-water from descending limb of LoH into ascending limb of VR