Respiratory 1- Respiratory Physiology Lecture Flashcards
What are the functions of the respiratory system?
Gas exchange – Oxygen added to the blood from the air, carbon dioxide removed from the blood into the air.
Acid base balance – regulation of body pH (see renal lectures)
Protection from infection
Communication via speech
Why do we breathe?
to produce energy - burn oxygen and carbohydrate and produce carbon dioxide as a waste product
What is the respiratory system responsible for?
oxygen in and carbon dioxide out
What does the CVS do? (cardiovascular system)
to deliver fuel to the active cells within the tissues, and remove waste products.
What links the respiratory and CV systems?
gas exchange
What is cellular/ internal respiration?
biochemical process that releases energy from glucose either via Glycolysis or Oxidative Phosphorylation
What is external respiration?
movement of gases between the air and the body’s cells, via both the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
Describe the difference between pulmonary and systemic circulations?
Pulmonary: It delivers CO2 (to the lungs) and collects O2 (from the lungs)
Pulmonary artery- rich in CO2
Systemic: Collects CO2 and delivers O2 to peripheral tissues
Systemic vein- rich in CO2
What is the function of pulmonary vein?
carries oxygenated blood
What is function of pulmonary artery?
carries deoxygenated blood
Function of pulmonary circulation?
specialised part of CVS
just serves lungs
opposite to systemic
Blood flow in pulmonary circulation?
takes blood from right side of body to lungs and to the lungs for then oxygenated blood to be returned to the left side of heart.
Blood flow in systemic circulation?
taking oygenated blood from heart and taking to peripheral
What is the net volume of gas exchanged in the lungs per unit time?
250ml/min O2; 200ml/min CO2
and equal to the net vol exchanged in tissues
What is normal respiration rate and and max?
12-18 breaths/min at rest,
Can reach 40 - 45 at max. exercising capacity in adults
Describe nose and functions?
cilia and mucus trap particles and warm and moisten the air
Describe pharynx and functions?
from your nose, air moves down into pharynx or throat- shared with digestive system
Describe epiglottis and functions?
small flap of tissue folds over the trachea and prevents food from entering it when you swallow
Describe larynx?
contains your vocal chords- vibrate to produce sound
Describe trachea and functions?
from the pharynx air moves down towards the lungs through your trachea.
Made up of stiff rings of cartilage that support and protect it.
Describe bronchus and functions?
air moves from the trachea into the right and left bronchi - which lead inside the lungs.
What are the parts of upper and lower respiratory tract?
upper- mouth, nasal cavity, pharynx , larynx
lower- trachea, bronchi , lungs
What is the lower respiratory system enclosed by?
thorax, bounded by ribs, spine and diaphragm
How can airway diameter and therefore resistance to air flow, be altered ?
by activity of bronchial smooth muscle to protect alveoli from inhaling dangerous substances
describe how the bronchi are divided further and further on either side of the lungs?
Primary Bronchi (Main Bronchi):
The trachea bifurcates into the right bronchus and left bronchus, each entering the corresponding lung.
The right bronchus is wider, shorter, and more vertical compared to the left bronchus.
Secondary Bronchi (Lobar Bronchi):
Each primary bronchus divides into secondary bronchi.
The right lung has three secondary bronchi (one for each lobe: upper, middle, and lower).
The left lung has two secondary bronchi (one for the upper lobe and one for the lower lobe).
These bronchi branch off to serve the individual lobes of the lungs.
- Tertiary Bronchi (Segmental Bronchi):
Each secondary bronchus divides further into tertiary bronchi.
These bronchi serve the bronchopulmonary segments, which are distinct sections of the lung that can function independently.
The right lung has 10 bronchopulmonary segments, while the left lung has 8 or 9, depending on anatomical variations.
Tertiary bronchi can be recognized by their branching patterns to each segment.
- Tertiary Bronchi (Segmental Bronchi):
Smaller Bronchi:
As the bronchi continue to branch, they become progressively smaller in diameter.
The walls of these smaller bronchi become thinner, and cartilage plates (supporting tissue) start to diminish.
Bronchioles:
Eventually, the bronchi become bronchioles.
Bronchioles have no cartilage and are smaller than 1 millimeter in diameter.
These are the smallest airways that still have smooth muscle in their walls, allowing for constriction and dilation.
Alveolar Ducts and Alveoli:
Respiratory bronchioles further divide into alveolar ducts, leading to the alveolar sacs, which contain alveoli.
The alveoli are tiny air sacs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the lungs and the bloodstream.
What muscle separates thoracic from abdominal?
diaphragm - changes vol of thoracic cavity
What is anatomical dead space?
The conducting zone of the airways consists of the trachea, bronchi (highest points of resistance to air flow), and bronchioles. Air in these airways is referred to as Anatomical Dead Space as it does not participate in gas exchange as the walls of the airways are too thick.
What is the respiratory zone?
The respiratory zone of the airways consists of the alveoli, which are the sites of gas exchange, and those airways to which alveoli are attached.
What is a cluster of alveolis surrounded by?
elastic fibres (help push air out of alveolis)
and a network of capillaries
What are alveoli composed of?
composed of type I cells for gas exchange and type II cells that synthesize surfactant.
What do alveolar macrophages do?
ingest foreign material that reaches the alveoli
