Respiration Flashcards

1
Q

What is the main function of the lungs?

A

Gas exchange, the movement of oxygen from the air into the blood and the movement of CO2 out of the blood

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2
Q

What is a blood-gas barrier?

A

A barrier that the lung posses where one side is blood and the other is air

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3
Q

Where are ACEs located?

A

On the endothelial cells that line the pulmonary circulation

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4
Q

What is converted as blood passes through ACEs?

A

Angiotensin I into angiotensin II

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5
Q

What is the name of the vasodilator mediator that is inactivated by ACE?

A

Bradykinin

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6
Q

Give an example of something that is filtered from the blood as it passes through the pulmonary circulation

A

Blood clots

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7
Q

What property of pulmonary arteries allows the lungs to act as a reservoir for blood?

A

They are stretchy

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8
Q

Why is it beneficial for lungs to act as a reservoir for blood?

A

In case the body needs a burst of blood e.g about to jump

Allows white blood cells to be released in groups ready to fight infections

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9
Q

What is the conducting airways?

A

Airways that do not participate in gas exchange, from the mouth to the bronchioles

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10
Q

Describe the path of air from the nose/mouth to the terminal bronchioles

A

Air enters the body and into the trachea which splits into 2 bronchi, one to each lung, which then branch into smaller bronchioles

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11
Q

What is the anatomical dead space?

A

The volume of air located in the respiratory tract that does not participate in gas exchange, the volume of the conducting airways

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12
Q

What are the small air sacs in the terminal bronchioles called?

A

Alveoli

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13
Q

What is the respiratory zone?

A

The region of the lungs that take part in gas exchange

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14
Q

How does the blood vessels of the pulmonary circulation reach the alveoli?

A

The blood vessels get smaller and smaller and terminate in the alveoli sacks

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15
Q

What is responsible for the large surface area of the respiratory zone?

A

The dense network of capillaries

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16
Q

What is mucociliary clearance?

A

When ciliated epithelial cells propel mucus and debris trapped in it out of the airway

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17
Q

How are very small particles that reach the alveoli removed from the air?

A

They are ingested by alveolar macrophages

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18
Q

What type of muscle contracts the airways?

A

Smooth muscle

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19
Q

What is bronchoconstriction and bronchodilation?

A

Constriction = contraction, dilation = relaxation

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20
Q

When does bronchoconstriction occur?

A

In response to inhaled irritants and mediators such as histamine.

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21
Q

Which ANS is mainly responsible for the control of the airways?

A

Parasympathetic

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22
Q

When does bronchodilation occur?

A

In response to stimulation of adrenergic receptors

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23
Q

Give an example of a bronchodilation drug

A

Salbutamol

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24
Q

Which sized bronchioles are mainly affected when changing the resistance to airflow?

A

Medium sized

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25
Q

Which receptors in the lungs does adrenaline act on and what is the effect?

A

Beta-2 in the smooth muscle, causes muscle relaxation

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26
Q

What is the rate of gas exchange dependent on?

A

The surface area of the blood-gas interface, the partial pressure gradients and the solubility of the gas in the membrane

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27
Q

What does Fick’s Law describe?

A

That the rate of diffusion is directly proportional to the surface area, the difference in partial pressure and the solubility of the gas. The rate is inversely proportional to the thickness of the membrane

28
Q

Describe the differences in partial pressure for O2 and CO2 in the blood vs in the alveoli

A

O2: higher in the alveoli
CO2: higher in the blood

29
Q

What is more soluble in the membrane, O2 or CO2?

A

CO2

30
Q

What diffuses faster, O2 or CO2?

A

CO2 by 20 times

31
Q

Give some examples of pathophysiological conditions

A

Inflammation, oedema or fibrosis

32
Q

Which rate of diffusion (O2 or CO2) is more affected by pathophysiological conditions?

A

O2

33
Q

Why do additional capillaries open up in the skeletal muscle during exercise?

A

To increase the surface area and reduce the distance since the distance between capillaries is much greater than the alveoli membrane

34
Q

What helps to transport oxygen around the body since not enough can dissolve in the blood?

A

Haemoglobin

35
Q

Describe the quaternary structure of haemoglobin

A

4 polypeptide chains, 2 alpha and 2 beta, each containing a molecule of haem

36
Q

Describe how the structure of haem allows for the binding of oxygen

A

Haem contains a Fe atom which can bind to oxygen, 1 oxygen molecule can bind to each haem, therefore 4 molecules of O2 bind to one molecule of haemoglobin. When one O2 binds, there is an allosteric change resulting in a greater affinity for the remaining Fe atoms.

37
Q

When does O2 bind the most to haemoglobin and when does it detach?

A

If PO2 id high, haemoglobin is almost fully saturated, when the PO2 reduces, the oxygen begins to detach

38
Q

What is the Bohr effect?

A

When the partial pressure of CO2 affects how much oxygen is bound to haemoglobin.

39
Q

At what pHs is the PCO2 higher resulting in the release of O2 form haemoglobin?

A

Acidic pHs when tissues are actively respiring

40
Q

How does temperature affect how much O2 binds to haemoglobin?

A

Higher temperature promotes release of O2

41
Q

How does DPG affect the bonding of O2 onto haemoglobin?

A

Increases in DPG concentrations cause O2 to be released from haemoglobin by a allosteric modulation

42
Q

What is the Haidane effect?

A

The effect of O2 on the binding of CO2 to haemoglobin

43
Q

When are levels of DPG higher?

A

DPG is a product of glycolysis and so is higher during hypoxia, it releases O2 from haemoglobin into tissues

44
Q

What is ventilation regulated by?

A

Pons and medulla in the brain stem which are the breathing control centres

45
Q

What is inhalation?

A

The contraction of skeletal muscles int he diaphragm and the intercostal muscles between the ribs

46
Q

What is exhalation?

A

The relaxation of muscles and the recoil of the elastic tissues of the lungs

47
Q

Which is active and passive, inhalation or exhalation?

A
Inhalation = active
Exhalation = passive
48
Q

When do both inhalation and exhalation become active?

A

During exercise and voluntary hyperventilation

49
Q

What happens during active exhalation?

A

The intercostal muscles in the abdominal wall become active

50
Q

What does the elastic behaviour of the lungs depend on?

A

Compliance of lung, types of cells and their arrangement, and the surface tension of the alveoli

51
Q

What is the role of pulmonary surfactants?

A

They reduce the surface tension of the film that lines the alveoli

52
Q

What do chemoreceptors detect?

A

Changes in blood O2 and CO2 concentrations. When CO2 dissolves in the blood, forms carbonic acid, lowering the pH which chemoreceptors detect

53
Q

Where are chemoreceptors found?

A

In the aorta, medulla, and carotid arteries

54
Q

When do chemoreceptors increase the rate of ventilation?

A

Higher concentrations of CO2 = greater depth and rate of ventilation

55
Q

What is the role of chemoreceptors?

A

To maintain the partial pressures of O2 and CO2 during vigorous exercise

56
Q

What happens to PO2, PCO2 and pH during vigorous exercise?

A

PO2 falls, pH falls and PCO2 increases

57
Q

What are mechanoreceptors and where are they located?

A

In the lungs, they respond and send feedback to the respiratory centre (muscular input to breathing)

58
Q

What is the approximate volume of air inhaled and exhaled under resting condition?

A

0.5L

59
Q

What is the tidal volume?

A

The volume of air inhaled and exhaled under resting conditions

60
Q

What is the residual volume?

A

The volume of air in the lungs that cannot be exhaled

61
Q

What is used to measure certain respiration parameters?

A

Spirometer

62
Q

What does the spirometer measure?

A

FVC, PEF and FEV1

63
Q

How much can the FEV1/FVC ratio be reduced by in a patient with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

A

Reduced by 20-60% of normal value

64
Q

What is the FVC?

A

Forced vital capacity, the volume of air breathed in and out when someone breathes as hard as they can, the sum of inspiratory and expiratory capacity

65
Q

What is the inspiratory capacity?

A

The maximum volume of air that can be breathed in from rest

66
Q

What is the expiratory capacity?

A

The maximum volume of air that can be forced out of the lungs from rest without taking in a deep breath

67
Q

What is the expiratory reserve?

A

The air that can be forced out of the lungs from rest