Physiology Flashcards
What is meant by internal respiration?
The internal respiration refers to the intracellular mechanisms which consumes O2 and produces CO2
What is meant by external respiration?
The term external respiration refers to 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 four steps of external respiration?
- Ventilation
- Gas exchange between alveoli and blood
- Gas transport in the blood
- Gas exchange at the tissue level
How do the lungs recoil?
By the relaxation of inspiratory muscles because of their elastic properties(elastic connective tissue). The alveolar surface tension also contributes to the recoiling of the lungs.
What is Boyle’s law?
At any constant temperature the
pressure exerted by a gas varies
inversely with the volume of the gas
aka. as the volume of a gas increases the pressure exerted by the gas decreases
What are the two forces that link the lungs to the thorax?
- The intrapleural fluid cohesiveness
- The negative intrapleural pressure
How does the intrapleural fluid cohesiveness hold the lungs and thorax together?
The water molecules in the intrapleural fluid are attracted to each other and resist being pulled apart. Hence the pleural membranes tend to stick together.
How does the negative intrapleural pressure hold the thorax and lungs together?
the sub-atmospheric intrapleural pressure create a transmural(across the wall) pressure gradient across the lung wall and across the chest wall. So the lungs are forced to expand outwards while the chest is forced to squeeze inwards
Which 3 pressures are important in ventilation?
- Atmospheric pressure
- Intra-alveolar(intrapulmonary) pressure
- Intrapleural (intrathoracic) pressure
True/false, the atmospheric pressure is the same as the intrapleural pressure?
false, the atmospheric pressure is the same as the intra-alveolar pressure
Which muscles are involved in inspiration?
Diaphragm and external intercostal muscels
What happens to intra-alveolar pressure when the lungs expand? Why does this happen?
Intra-alveolar pressure falls, this is because air molecules become contained in a larger volume
Inspiration/Expiration is a passive/active process
Inspiration is an active process
Expiration is a passive process
What is alveolar surface tension?
- Attraction between water molecules at liquid air interface
- In the alveoli this produces a force which resists the stretching of the lungs
- If the alveoli were lined with water alone the surface tension would be too strong so the alveoli would collapse
What reduces alveolar surface tension?
Surfactant
What is pulmonary surfactant composed of ?
Pulmonary surfactant is a complex mixture of lipids and proteins secreted by type II alveoli
What does surfactant do? and why does it do this?
Surfactant lowers the surface tension of smaller alveoli more than that of large alveoli
This prevent the smaller alveoli from collapsing and emptying their air contents into the larger alveoli
How does surfactant lower surface tension inside alveoli?
by interspersing between the water molecules lining the alveoli
What is pneumothorax?
When you have air inside the pleural space
In pneumothorax, where does the air come from?
Ari comes from the lungs or from outside
Symptoms of pneumothorax
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
Physical signs of pneumothorax
- hyperresonant percussion note
- decreased/absent breath sounds
What are the 3 forces that help keep the alveoli open?
- Pulmonary surfactant
- The alveolar interdependence
- Transmural pressure gradient
Explain how alveolar interdependence works to keep alveoli open?
If an alveolus start to collapse the surrounding alveoli are
stretched and then recoil exerting expanding forces in the
collapsing alveolus to open it
2 forces promoting alveolar collapse
- Elasticity of stretched lung connective tissue
- Alveolar surface tension
Pulmonary ventilation
Is the volume of air breathed in and out per minute Pulmonary Ventilation (L) = tidal volume (L/breath) x Respiratory Rate (breath/min)
Alveolar ventilation
Is the volume of air exchanged between the atmosphere and alveoli per minute
Alveolar Ventilation = (tidal volume – dead space volume) x Respiratory Rate = (0.5 – 0.15) x 12 = 4.2 L/min under resting conditions.
Why is alveolar ventilation less than pulmonary ventilation?
Alveolar Ventilation is less than pulmonary ventilation because of the presence of anatomical dead space.
List non-respiratory functions of the respiratory system
- Route for water loss and heat elimination
- Enhances venous return (Cardiovascular Physiology)
- Helps maintain normal acid-base balance (Respiratory and Renal Physiology)
- Enables speech, singing, and other vocalisations
- Defends against inhaled foreign matter
- Removes, modifies, activates, or inactivates various materials passing through the pulmonary circulation
- Nose serves as the organ of smell
True/false blood flow and ventilation vary from bottom to top of lungs?
True
Blood flow/ventilation is lower/higher at the top of the lungs
Blood flow is lower
Ventilation is higher
Alveolar dead space
Ventilated alveoli which are not adequately perfused with blood are considered as alveolar dead space