Physiology Flashcards
What way do gases move in Boyle’s Law?
High Concentration -> Low Concentration
What effect does a pneumothorax have?
Abolishes the transmural pressure, causes lung to collapse
What is the main function of the respiratory system in terms of a simple conversion?
‘food’ + O2 -> ‘energy’ + CO2
What is internal respiration?
The intracellular mechanisms which consume O2 and produce CO2
What is external respiration?
The sequence of events that lead to the exchange of O2 and CO2 between the external environment and the cells of the body
What are the 4 steps of external respiration?
- Ventilation
- Gas exchange between alveoli and blood
- Gas transport in the blood
- Gas exchange at a tissue level
What is ventilation?
The mechanical process of moving air between the atmosphere and alveolar sacs
What is Boyle’s Law?
At any constant temperature the pressure exerted by a gas varies inversely with the volume of the gas
volume up = pressure down
What are the two forces that hold the thoracic wall and the lungs in close opposition?
1) the intrapleural fluid cohesiveness
2) the negative intrapleural pressure
What is inspiration dependant on?
Muscle contraction. It is an active process
Describe inspiration and how this process is done
Increase in lung volume. Contraction of the diaphragm increases the volume of the lungs vertically. External intercostal muscle contraction lifts the ribs and moves outage sternum
How does inspiration affect the intra-avelolar pressure?
It decreases this pressure
Describe expiration
Inspiratory muscles relax, lungs recoil, lung volume decreases and intra-aveolar pressure rises
What causes the lungs to recoil during during expiration?
1) elastic connective tissue in the lungs that makes the whole structure ‘bounce’ back
2) Alveolar Surface Tension (MAIN)
What is Alveolar Surface Tension?
Attraction between water molecules at liquid air interface. Produces a force which resists the stretching of the lungs.
What is the effect of Pulmonary Surfactant?
Reduces the alveolar surface tension
Which size of alveoli have a higher tendency to collapse?
Smaller alveoli
What babies are at risk of Respiratory Distress Syndrome and why?
Premature babies. Foetal lungs are unable to synthesise Surfactant until late into the pregnancy => premature babies may not be able to produce Surfactant => high surface tension => respiratory distress as they have difficulty inspirating and inflating their lungs
What does the Alveolar Interdependence do?
Help keep alveoli open. if an alveolus starts to collapse the surrounding alveoli are stretched and then recoil exerting expanding forces in the collapsing alveolus to open it
What are 3 important pressures in terms of Ventilation
- Atmospheric pressure (pressure of weight of a gas in atmosphere)
- Intra-alveolar pressure (pressure within alveoli)
- Intrapleural pressure (pressure within the pleural sac)
What nerve is Inspiration supplied by
Phrenic nerve from C3,4,5
Describe how the thorax volume is increased (3 ways)
- The diaphragm contracts and lowers, increasing the vertical dimension
- The external intercostal muscles contract, elevating the ribs; increasing side-side dimension
- elevation of ribs in turn causes the sternum to move upwards and outwards; increasing front-back dimension
What happens to the intra-alveolar pressure when the lungs increase in size?
The pressure decreases, since an increase in the size of the lungs also increases the volume of gas present (Boyle’s Law - the air molecules are contained in a larger volume)
What gives the lungs their elastic behavior, and what does this allow them to do?
- Elastic connective tissue
- Alveolar surface tension
- allows the lungs to recoil
What is the pulmonary surfactant
It is a mixture of lipids and proteins secreted by Alveoli type 2
Why is the pulmonary surfactant important
It intersperses between the water molecules on the alveoli; reducing surface tension and preventing smaller alveoli from collapsing and releasing air into bigger alveoli
If it wasn’t there, the alveolar surface tension would be too strong as there would be nothing to decrease the force between the water molecules at the liquid air interface
Name 3 forces that act to open the lungs
- transmural pressure gradient
- pulmonary surfactant
- alveolar interdependance
Name 2 forces that act to close lungs/promote alveolar collapse
- Elasticity of stretched pulmonary tissue fibers
2. Alveolar surface tension
what are the inspiratory muscles?
- external intercostal muscles
- diaphragm
what are the muscles of active expiration?
- internal intercostal muscles
- abdominal muscles
what is active expiration?
the air that is forcefully released after a natural release of air when exhaling (the expiration reserve volume)
i.e. when you breathe out naturally, then force more air out, the forcing bit is ‘active’ and not ‘passive’
what is passive expiration?
the relaxation of the inspiratory muscles, causing air to be expelled from the lungs