Respiratory Flashcards
What makes up the upper respiratory tract?
Nasal cavity
Pharynx
Larynx
What makes up the lower respiratory tract?
Trachea
Primary bronchi
Lungs
What are the main functions of the nose in the respiratory tract?
Filtration
Defence- cilia take inspired particulates back to be swallowed
Warms and humidifes air
Describe the anatomy of the nose
Anterior nares open into enlarged vestibule which is lined with skin and stiff hairs
Turbinates double surface area
What are the 3 turbinates of the nose?
Superior meatus
Middle meatus
Inferior meatus
What are the 4 types of paranasal sinuses?
Frontal
Maxillary
Ethmoid
Sphenoid
They are pneumatised areas of these bones
They are evaginations of mucous membranes form the nasal cavity
Describe anatomy (location) of frontal sinuses
Within frontal bone
Midline septum
Over orbit and across superciliary arch
Supplied by ophthalmic division of nerve V
Describe anatomy (location) of maxillary sinuses
In body of maxilla
Pyramidal in shape
Base on lateral wall of nose
Apex at zygomatic process of maxilla
Roof is floor of orbit
Floor is alveolar process
Opens into middle meatus via hiatus semilunaris
Describe anatomy (location) of ethmoid sinuses
Between the eyes
Labyrinth of air cells (looks like honeycomb)
Drain into middle meatus by semilunar hiatus
Supplied by ophthalmic and maxillary nerve V
Describe anatomy (location) of sphenoid sinuses
Medial to cavernous sinus, carotid artery linked to C3-6
Inferior to optic canal, dura and pituitary gland
Empties into sphenoethmoidal recess, lateral to the attachment of nasal septum
Supplied by ophthalmic nerve V
What is the pharynx?
Fibromuscular tube lined with epithelium
Connects back of nose to larnyx
What is at the nasopharynx?
Eustachian tube enters into nasopharynx
Inferiorly at soft palate enters to oropharynx
Pharyngeal tonsils on posterior wall
Describe anatomy of oropharynx
Back of mouth, soft palate anterior to oro
Palatine tonsils on lateral walls
Inferior to hyoid bone
Palatoglossal folds
Palatopharyngeal folds
Describe the larynx (anatomy and function)
Valvular function
Prevents liquids and food from entering lungs
Rigid structure with 9 cartilages
Arytenoid cartilages rotate on the cricoid cartilage to change vocal cords
What are the single laryngeal cartilages?
Epiglottis
Thyroid
Cricoid
What are the double laryngeal cartilages?
Cuneiform
Corniculate
Arytenoid
Which nerves innervate larynx?
Vagus (CNX) splits into superior laryngeal nerve and recurrent laryngeal nerve
What is the role of the superior laryngeal nerve?
Provides sensation to larynx (internal) and supplies cricothyroid muscle (external)
What is the role of the recurrent laryngeal nerve?
Innervates all muscles in the larynx except cricothyroid
R and L have different courses
Left loops under aorta and ascends between trachea and oesophagus
Right: R subclavian artery, plane between trachea and oesophagus
What is a normal/average minute ventilation?
approx 5 litres
What is normal CO amount?
approx 5 litres
What is the size of the gas exchange surface of each lung (spread out)
20m^2
What are the main airways (biggest to smallest) in the lower resp tract?
Trachea
Main bronchi
Lobar bronchi
Segmental branches
Respiratory bronchiole
Terminal bronchiole
Alveolar ducts and branches
What is the structure of the trachea?
Runs from larynx to T5
Commences at cricoid cartilage
Oval in cross-sections, incomplete cartilages
Trachealis muscle joins incomplete circuit
Mobile
Sensory innervation from recurrent laryngeal nerve
Arterial supply from inferior thyroid artery
What is the basic structure of the R main bronchus?
1cm-2.5cm long
Vertically disposed, shorter than L
What is the basic structure of the L main bronchus?
5cm long
Longer than R
What is the acinus?
Functional unit distal to the terminal bronchiole
What are the 2 layers of pleura?
Visceral: applied to lung surface, only autonomic innervation
Parietal: applied to internal chest wall, pain sensation
Describe the pleura
Visceral and parietal
Each a single cell layer
Continuous with each other at lung root
What happens in acute inflammation to make it appear red and swollen?
Vasodilation of vessels (redness)
Exudation of plasma to deliver antibodies (swelling)
Activation of biochemical cascades to target bacteria
Pain receptors triggered
Migration of blood leukocytes into tissue
Examples of inflammation-mediated tissue damage in lung
COPD
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Bronchiectasis
Asthma
Interstitial lung disease
What is ARDS?
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Respiratory failure from alveoli filling with water and neutrophils
Caused by any condition causing inadequate tissue oxygenation (trauma, surgery, pneumonia)
Process of acute inflammation
Initiated by epithelial surfaces producing hydrogen peroxide (in tissue), damage causing release of cellular contents
Amplified by specialist macrophages
Respond to pathogens/ damage by recognising pathogen-associated molecular patterns or damage-associated MPs
What cells can amplify acute inflammation?
Specialist macrophages:
- Kupffer cells (liver)
- Histiocytes (skin and bone)
- Dendritic cells
- Alveolar macrophages (lung)
What recognises pathogens we haven’t seen before?
Pattern recognition receptors
Types of signalling receptors for pattern recognition
Toll-like receptors
Nod-like receptors
Types of endocytic receptors
Mannose
Glucan
Scavenger
What are TLRs?
Toll-like receptors
Recognise conserved molecular patterns in pathogens
Also recognise endogenous mediators of inflammation
Describe the alveolar macrophage
93% of pulmonary macrophages
Longer lived
Arise from circulating monocytes
Initially produced in foetus and colonise lungs, mature wave comes from foetal monocytes
Removed from lung when exhausted, new macrophages replace throughout life
What is macrophage plasticity?
Macrophages can change behaviour to suit environment
Describe the neutrophil
70% of all WBCs
100 million turnover a day
More made in sepsis
Granulocytes
Half in blood, half marginated especially in lung
Will adhere to wall, then migrate into tissue when needed
What do primary neutrophil granules contain?
Myeloperoxidase
Elastase
Cathespins
Defensins
What do secondary neutrophil granules contain?
Receptors
Collagenase
Lysozyme
Describe the process of inflammation
Neutrophils adhere to endothelium and transmigrate into tissues
Oedema
Neutrophils take up and digest bacteria or release granules
Apoptosis of neutrophil (taken up by macrophages and removed)
Life of a neutrophil from threat to death
Identify threat
Activation
Adhesion
Migration
Phagocytosis
Bacterial killing
Apoptosis
What do neutrophil receptors recognise?
Bacterial structures- cell wall, lipids, peptides
Host mediators- cytokines, complement cascade, lipids
Host opsonins- FcR, CR3
Host adhesion molecules
How does neutrophil activation work?
Stimulus response coupling (e.g. proportionate response to threat)
Signal transduction pathways involving calcium, protein kinases, phospholipases and G proteins
How does neutrophil adhesion work?
Margination from selectins, rolling
Integrins mediate firm adhesion
Require changes in endothelium and neutrophils
Neutrophils flatten out and migrate
What can CD18 deficiency cause?
No transendothelial migration
Delayed separation of umbilical cord
Recurrent severe cutaneous and deep infections
What happens in phagocytosis?
Phagocytic cup extended and fuses around bacteria
Forms phagosome
Fusion with granules forms phagolysome
What is generated in bacterial killing?
Reactive oxygen species generated by NADPH oxidase and ATP
What is intrinsic defence?
Always present
Physical and chemical
Apoptosis
Autophagy
Present anti-viral proteins
What is innate defence?
Induced by infection
Interferon
Cytokines
Macrophages
NK cells
What is adaptive immunity?
Tailored to a pathogen
T and B cells
What is epithelium?
A tissue composed of cells that line the cavities and surfaces of structures throughout the body
Also forms many glands
Lies on top of connective tissue, layers are separated by a basement membrane
What does respiratory epithelium do?
Moistens and protects the airways
Barrier to potential pathogens and foreign particles, preventing infection and tissue injury by action of the mucociliary escalator.
Histology of airway epithelium
Nasal cavity and superior pharynx: pseudostratified, mucosa + mucous escalator
Pharynx: stratified squamous
Lower resp tract: pseudostratified, mucosa
Bronchioles: cuboidal
Gas exchange surfaces: simple squamous
What are the chemical epithelial barriers?
Anti-proteinase
Anti-fungal peptides
Anti-microbial peptides
Antiviral proteins
Opsins
What is mucus and how is it moved around?
Viscoelastic gel from goblet and submucosal cells
Transported from the lower resp tract to pharynx via mucociliary clearance (cilia beat in directional ways to move mucus)
What is the role of mucus in defence?
Protects the epithelium from foreign material and fluid loss
What is the reason for coughing and sneezing?
Non-immune defence mechanisms
What is a cough?
Expulsive reflex that protects the lungs and respiratory passages from foreign bodies
What can cause a cough?
Irritants: fumes, dust
Diseased conditions: COPD, tumours
Infections
Which nerves can be involved in triggering a cough?
Afferent nerves: trigeminal, glossopharnygeal, superior laryngeal and vagus
Efferent nerves: laryngeal and spinal
What is a sneeze?
Involuntary expulsion of air containing irritants from the nose
What can cause a sneeze?
Irritation of nasal mucosa
Excess fluid in airway
Pathway of triggering a sneeze
Receptors in upper tract transduce signals
Nerve endings pick up and signals travel through sensory to brain stem
Travels on motor neurons to effectors and causes sneeze
How does airway epithelium repair itself after injury?
Injury leads to cell spreading and migration
Basal cell population is progenitor cell pool (e.g. can turn into club cells, ciliated cells which then become goblets)
Proliferating cells regenerate
Alveolar type 2 cells can produce proteins and give rise to alveolar type 1 cells
What goes wrong in obstructive lung disease?
Obstruction in airway
Production of respiratory secretions and pathogenic material that can’t be cleared through escalator
What is the respiratory pump?
Made up of bones, muscles, pleura, peripheral nerves
Generates negative intra-alveolar pressure
Moves 5 litres in/out per minute
What are the muscles involved in inspiration?
External intercostals
Diaphragm, C3,4,5
What is dead space in the lung?
The volume of air not contributing to ventilation
Made up of anatomic and alveolar components
Anatomic deadspace: 150mls (in airways not available for gas exchange)
Alveolar deadspace: 25mls
How much dead space is in the lung?
Anatomic deadspace: 150mls
Alveolar deadspace: 25mls
Physiological is total so 175mls
What is the pressure of pulmonary circulation?
24mmHg/10mmHg
How does alveolar perfusion work?
1000 capillaries per alveolus
Each erythrocyte comes into contact with multiple alveoli
Capillaries at the most dependent parts of the lung are preferentially perfused
At rest: haemoglobin is fully oxygenated 25% of the way through capillary
What does alveolar perfusion depend on?
Pulmonary artery pressure
Pulmonary venous pressure
Alveolar pressure
What is hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction?
Ventilation and perfusion matched
If part of the lung is hypoxic, blood vessels constrict and divert blood away to oxygenated parts of the lung
What does PaCO2 mean?
Partial pressure of CO2 in artery
What does PACO2 mean?
Partial pressure of CO2 in alveolar
What does PaO2 mean?
Partial pressure of O2 in artery
What does PAO2 mean?
Partial pressure of O2 in alevolus
What does PiO2 mean? And what does it equal?
Pressure of inspired oxygen
21kPa at sea level
What does FiO2 mean? And what is it?
Fraction of inspired oxygen
0.21
What does V̇A mean?
Rate of alveolar ventilation
What does V̇CO2 mean?
Rate of CO2 production
What is the equation for PaCO2?
PaCO2 = kV̇CO2 divided by V̇A
normally = 4-6kPa
How is CO2 carried?
Bound to haemoglobin
Dissolved in plasma
As carbonic acid
What are the physiological causes of a high CO2?
V̇A reduced, increase in minute ventilation, increase in dead space from shallow breathing and ventilation/perfusion mismatch, increase CO2 production
What is the alveolar gas equation?
PAO2 = PiO2 - PaCO2 / R
R = respiratory quotient, 0.8
What are some causes of hypoxia?
Alveolar hypoventilation
Reduced PiO2
Ventilation/perfusion mismatching
Diffusion abnormality
What is the normal pH of arterial blood?
pH = 7.40 (.36-.44)
How does acid/base control work in the blood?
Carbonic acid/ bicarbonate buffer
CO2 is under respiratory control (rapid)
HCO3- is under renal control (less rapid)
Equation for carbonic acid equilibrium
CO2 + H2O <—–> H2CO3 <—–> H+ + HCO3-
What happens physiologically in respiratory acidosis? (underventilating)
CO2 rises
pH will decrease as ratio between CO2 and acid has changed
As PaCO2 rises, HCO3- must also rise to keep pH normal
What is the henderson hasselbach eqtn for acid/base control?
pH = 6.1 + log10 ( [HCO3-] / [0.03 x PCO2] )
What is respiratory acidosis?
increased PaCO2, decreased pH, mild increased HCO3-
What is respiratory alkalosis?
decreased PaCO2, increased pH, mild decreased HCO3-
What is metabolic acidosis?
reduced bicarbonate and decreased pH
What is metabolic alkalosis?
increased bicarbonate and increased pH
What is tidal volume?
The volume of air entering or leaving the lungs during a single breath
Usually 0.5L resting
What is inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)?
The extra volume of air that can be maximally inspired above the typical resting tidal volume
2.5 Litres
What is inspiratory capacity?
Max volume of air that can be inspired at the end of a normal quiet expiration
IRV + TV
3 Litres
What is expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
The extra volume of air that can be actively expired by maximally contracting the expiratory muscles beyond the normal passive expiration at the end of resting TV
1.5 litres
What is residual volume?
The minimum volume of air remaining in the lungs even after a maximal expiration
Can’t be measured with a spirometer as it doesn’t move in and out of lungs
Average = 1200mL
What is functional residual capacity?
The volume of air in the lungs at the end of a normal passive expiration
ERV + RV
Average value 2200mL- 3Litres