Respiration Flashcards
What are the functions of the respiratory system? (6)
- Provides oxygen and eliminates carbon dioxide (Homeostatic regulation of blood gases)
- Protects against microbial infection (Filtering action)
- Regulates blood pH (In coordination with the kidneys)
- Contributes to phonation
- Contributes to olfaction
- Is a reservoir for blood
What are the structures that comprise the respiratory system?
- Upper airways
- trachea
- lungs
- muscles of respiration
- rib cage and pleura
- Part of the CNS that regulates respiration
What is the difference between primary bronchi, bronchi,
bronchioles, terminal bronchioles, and respiratory bronchioles
Trachea & primary bronchi:
- C-shape cartilage (Anteriorly)
- Smooth muscle (Posteriorly)
- trachea: 1 branch, primary bronchi: 2 branches
Bronchi:
- Plates of cartilage & smooth muscle
Bronchioles:
- Smooth muscle only
Terminal bronchioles:
- smallest airway without alveoli
- 60,000 branches
Respiratory bronchioles:
- have occasional alveoli
Conducting vs Respiratory zones
Conducting: Trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and terminal bronchioles
- Leads gas to the gas exchanging region of lungs, “anatomical dead space” (~ 150 mL): NO alveoli, NO gas exchange
Respiratory: Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs
- Where gas exchange happens
(It contains alveoli)
Explain generations?
Generations is the increase in branching from the mouth to the alveoli. As the number of generations increase, diameter and length decrease but the number of each structure and the area it covers increases
Alveoli
Tiny, thin-walled, capillary rich sac
- where oxygen and
carbon dioxide exchange - ~500 million alveoli, diameter = ~ 1/3 mm
- ~280 billion capillaries in the lung (At rest they contain 70 mL of blood, 200mL during physical activity). The capillaries surround the alveoli like a net to increase contact and gas exchange
Alveolar cells
slide 14
Type I:
- Covers most of the surface of the alveolar walls.
- Type I cells are a continuous mono-layer of flat epithelial cells
- Do not divide; susceptible to inhaled or aspirated toxins
Type II:
- 7 % of alveolar surface
- Produce SURFACTANT
- progenitor cells: when there is injury to Type I cells, Type II cells can multiply and eventually differentiate into Type I cells
The respiratory membrane - capillaries and gas exchange
- The alveolar walls also contain a dense network of capillaries and a small interstitial space (Connective tissue and interstitial fluids)
- Capillaries are small (7 to 10 µM in diameter), just enough space for a red blood cell to pass
- Each red blood cell spends about 0.75 seconds in the capillary network and during this time probably traverses 2 or 3 alveoli
Transfer of O2 and CO2 occurs by diffusion through the respiratory membrane
- Respiratory membrane is extremely thin (0.2 - 0.5 µM thick); very thin for easy gas exchange
- Can be easily damaged
Steps of respiration and what are they?
- Ventilation: Exchange of air between atmosphere and
alveoli by bulk flow - Exchange of O2 and CO2 between alveolar air and blood in
lung capillaries by DIFFUSION - Transport of O2 and CO2 through pulmonary and systemic circulation by bulk flow
- Exchange of O2 and CO2 between blood in tissue capillaries and cells in tissues by diffusion (periphery tissue)
- Cellular utilization of O2 and production of CO2
How is ventilation produced?
- CNS sends rhythmic excitatory (Respiratory) drive to respiratory muscles
- Respiratory muscles contract rhythmically and in a very organized pattern
- Changes in volume and pressures at the level of the chest and lung occur
- Air flows in and out
Pump Muscles? What are inspiratory and expiratory?
INS: diaphragm, external
intercostals, parasternal intercostals
EXP: internal intercostals, abdominals
Airway Muscles? What are inspiratory and expiratory?
Keep upper airways open
INS: tongue protruders (Genioglossus), alae nasi, muscles around airways (Pharynx, larynx)
- Pharyngeal and laryngeal dilators are inspiratory
EXP: muscles are airways (Pharynx, larynx)
- Pharyngeal and laryngeal constrictors are expiratory
Obstructive sleep apnea
Reduction in upper airway openness during sleep (Snoring, apneas, sleep disturbances)
- This results in a decreased oxygen saturation = daytime sleepiness affecting cognitive function and cardiovascular hypertension
Sleep apnea is caused by:
- Reduction in muscle tone
- Anatomical defects
Accessory Muscles?
INS:Increase inspiration when there is a high metabolic drive
- contribute little to quiet breathing (At rest)
- They contract vigorously during exercise or forced respiration
- sternocleidomastoid: raise the sternum
- scalene: elevate upper ribs
Diaphragm
a dome-shaped muscle which flattens during contraction (INS), abdominal contents are forced down and forward
and rib cage is widened
‒ Increase in volume of the thorax
Inspiratory intercostal muscles
External intercostal muscles: contract and pull ribs upward
increasing the lateral volume of the thorax
‒ Bucket handle motion
Parasternal intercostal muscles: contract and pull sternum forward, increasing anterior posterior dimension of the rib cage
‒ Pump handle motion
Expiratory pump muscles
External oblique, internal oblique, transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis
- Relaxed at rest. Involved in other physiological functions (Coughing, vomiting, defecation, posture)
- Deeper, faster breathing requires active contraction of abdominal & internal intercostal muscles to return
the lung to its resting position (Exercise) - Internal intercostal muscles: Relaxed at rest
- During exercise, internal intercostal muscles pull rib cage down, reducing thoracic volume
Filtering Action / muco-ciliary escalator
The conducting airways are lined by a layer of epithelial cells which comprise mucus-producing (Goblet) cells and ciliated cells
- These cells function in a coordinated fashion to entrap inhaled biological and inert particulates and remove them from the airways
Clearance requires both ciliary and respiratory tract fluids
(Periciliary fluid and mucus)
Ciliated and Goblet cells
Ciliated: Produce periciliary fluid
(SOL LAYER) which allows ciliated cells to move freely
▪ Low viscosity optimal
for ciliary activity (5 µm optimal thickness)
- tips of cilia in gel layer that pushes the entrapped particles in one direction
- ciliated movement is downward
(Nasopharynx), upward (Trachea) to remove particles via esophagus
Goblet: Produce mucus (5 - 10 µm thick GEL LAYER, distributed in patches)
▪ Has a high viscosity and high elastic properties
▪ Traps inhaled materials
Filtering action by macrophages
Mostly present in the alveoli
- Last defense to inhaled particles if muco-ciliary escalator does not capture everything
- Rapidly phagocytize foreign particles and substances as well as cellular debris
- Silica dust and asbestos (very sharp / kill macrophages) → pulmonary fibrosis
Spirometry
Pulmonary function test to determine the amount and the rate of inspired and expired air (measures the volume of air inspired and expired by the lungs)
Lung volumes
- Tidal volume (TV): the volume of air moved IN OR OUT of the respiratory tract during
each ventilatory cycle (0.5L). - Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV): Maximum possible inspiration
- Expiratory Reserve Volume (EXV): Maximum
Voluntary Expiration - Residual Volume (RV): the volume of air remaining in the lungs after a Maximal Expiration. RV cannot be measured with a
spirometry test along with FRC and TLC. RV = FRC - ERV.
Lung capacities
Capacities = correspond to the sum of 2 or more lung volumes
5. Vital Capacity (VC): the maximal volume of air that can be forcibly exhaled after a Maximal
Inspiration. VC = TV + IRV + ERV.
6. Inspiratory capacity: the maximal volume of air that can be forcibly inhaled. IC = TV + IRV
7. Functional Residual Capacity (FRC): the volume of air remaining in the lungs at the end of a normal
expiration. FRC = RV + ERV.
8. Total Lung Capacity (TLC) → the volume of air in the lungs at the end of a Maximal Inspiration.
TLC = FRC + TV + IRV = VC + RV
Ventilation
Total/minute ventilation → total amount of air moved into the
respiratory system per minute
- Total/minute ventilation = Tidal volume x respiratory frequency
Alveolar ventilation → amount of air moved into the alveoli per
minute (Alveolar ventilation < minute ventilation). It depends on the anatomical dead space (0.15L).
Anatomical dead space: ~ 1/3 of normal breath is not available for gas exchange
- anatomical dead space is constant regardless of breath size
Effects of breathing pattern on alveolar ventilation
Increased DEPTH of breathing is more effective in increasing
alveolar ventilation than an equivalent increase in breathing RATE
- However, minute ventilation remains the same
FEV1 and FVC
Forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1):
- A healthy person can normally blow out most of the air from the lungs within one second
Forced vital capacity (FVC): The total amount of air that is blown out in one breath after max inspiration as fast as possible
- (TV + IRV + ERV) ~ VITAL CAPACITY
FEV1/FVC = Proportion of the amount of air that
is blown out in 1 second
Obstructive vs Restrictive spirometry tests determined by FEV1 and FEC
Obstructive: difficulty in exhaling all the air (comes out slowly) from their lungs (shortness of breath)
- due to damage or narrowing of the airways inside the lungs
- abnormally high amount of air may still linger
in the lungs
- Bronchial asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease,
cystic fibrosis
- FEV1 is significantly reduced, FVC is ~ normal/reduced, FEV1/FVC is reduced
Reduced: lungs are restricted from fully expanding
- due to restrictive lung disease (stiffness of the chest
wall, weak muscles, or damaged nerves) such as lung fibrosis, neuromuscular diseases and scarring of lung tissue
- Reduced vital capacity
- FEV1 is reduced
- FVC is reduced
- FEV1/FVC almost normal
Helium (gas) dilution method (what does it find?)
- Used to find FRC
Helium → insoluble in blood, equilibrates after several breaths - Concentration C2 is measured at the end of an expiratory effort
(V2 = FRC)
V2 = V1(C1 - C2)/C2 - Measures only communicating gas or ventilated lung volume
Before equilibration After equilibration