respiratory Flashcards
upper respiratory tract includes
-nose and nasal cavity
-pharynx
-larynx
lower respiratory tract includes
-trachea [windpipe]
-bronchial tubes
-alveoli
nose and nasal cavity structure
-external nose constructed from bone and hyaline cartilage, is lined with a mucus membrane
-divided internally by nasal septum, two openings known as external nares or nostrils
-olfactory receptors are located in olfactory epithelium in roof of nose/nasal cavity
nose and nasal cavity functions
-warms air
-prevents dehydration
-covered with mucus membrane and traps particles
-cilia propel particles towards the pharynx where they can be swallowed
pharynx
-posterior to the nasal cavity and extends to larynx
-three regions - nasopharynx, oropharynx, laryngopharynx
-contains openings of the auditory tubes [aka pharyngotympanic tubes or eustachian tubes], linked to middle ear and equalises air pressure
-constructed of skeletal muscle [circular and longitudinal], lined with mucus membrane
-contains tonsils [palatine and lingual], patches of lymphatic tissues similar to lymph nodes, plays a role in immunity, subject to inflammation [tonsilitis], especially common in children/young adults
larynx
-connects pharynx with trachea
-constructed from 9 sections of cartilage
-contains vocal fold for speech
-also contains epiglottis
epiglottis
-in the larynx
-leaf shaped elastic cartilage
-closes off the glottis
-prevents food/fluid from entering trachea during swallowing
trachea
-tubular windpipe extending from the larynx to the two primary bronchial tubes
-4 layers : mucosa, submucosa, hyaline cartilage, adventitia
trachea mucosa
-inner most layer
-pseudostratified ciliated epithelium
-mucus traps particles and is propelled by the cilia to be swallowed
trachea submucosa
-mostly areolar [loose] connective tissue
-contains mucus secreting glands and their ducts
trachea hyaline cartilage
-16-20 incomplete cartilage rings
-open portion faces posteriorly towards the oesophagus - ends connected by trachealis muscle
trachea adventitia
-connective tissue outer layer
bronchial tubes structure
-trachea divides into 2 primary bronchi
-each primary bronchus feeds air into and out of either the left or right lung
-lined with pseudostratified ciliated epithelia
-also has incomplete cartilage rings
-lower internal ridge where the right and left
bronchi originate is known as the carina [very sensitive and triggers cough reflex]
bronchial tubes divisions
-primary bronchi divide into secondary or lobar bronchi [each secondary bronchus feeds a single lobe of the lung]
-these further divide into tertiary or segmental bronchi
-more divisions into smaller bronchioles
-smallest bronchioles known as terminal bronchi
-branching of bronchial tubes known as bronchial tree
epithelium changes to bronchial tubes
-primary, secondary and tertiary bronchi [pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet (mucus
secreting) cells]
-large bronchioles [simple ciliated with some goblet cells]
-smaller bronchioles [simple ciliated with few goblet cells]
-terminal bronchioles [simple cuboidal]
cartilage and smooth muscle changes to bronchial tubes
-as bronchial tubes get smaller, plates of cartilage replace incomplete rings
-smooth muscle content increases as cartilage decreases [smooth muscle present in spiral brands, helps keep bronchial tubes open]
-influenced by catecholamine [epinephrine and norepinephrine relaxes this muscle and causes
bronchodilation]
-muscle spasms may close off bronchial tubes [occurs during an asthma attack]
lungs
-paired organs that sit inside thoracic cavity
-left/right lung reside in separate double walled structures called pleural membranes [parietal pleura live the inside of thoracic cavity, visceral pleura cover the lungs]
-small space between these layers known as pleural cavity [contains lubricating fluid to allow smooth inflation and deflation of the lungs]
alveoli
-clusters of inter-connected hollow spheres extend from an alveolar duct that is contiguous with each respiratory bronchus
-each alveolus is covered in pulmonary cap [for gas exchange]
-also covered in elastic fibres [stretch during inspiration, recoil to aid exhalation]
-macrophages are present on inner surface [no cilia or mucus for self cleaning]
respiratory zone of the lung
-when each terminal bronchus give rise to multiple respiratory bronchioles this is the start of respiratory zone
-also includes alveolar ducts [controls flow of air to alveoli], alveolar sacs and alveoli
conducting zone of the lung
-terminal bronchioles represent the end of conducting zone
-structures that carry air into and out of the lung
structure of alveoli
-constructed using simple squamous epithelial cells [known as type 1 cells]
-contains type 2 cells [septal cells], small cuboidal cells with microvilli, these secrete alveolar fluid [surfactant to reduce surface tension]
-alveolar wall and cap wall form respiratory membrane [gases must diffuse across this, very thin 0.5um to aid speed of diffusion]
pulmonary ventilation
-movement of air into and out of lungs is dependant on different air pressures [atmospheric air pressure and pressure inside our lungs]
-air movement follows Boyles law
Boyles law
-pressure is inversely proportional to volume
-if volume of a gas is increased, pressure reduces
-respiratory muscles make our lungs into a type of pump [if we increase volume air pressure reduces]
Boyles law and pulmonary ventilation
-intrapulmonary or alveolar pressure [to inflate lungs with external air, we must reduce air pressure within]
-to achieve this we increase lung volume
-once alveolar air pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, air flows into our lungs
-to exhale we must increase alveolar air pressure by reducing the
lung volume
-air is expelled from our lungs once alveolar air pressure is greater than atmospheric air pressure
muscles of inhalation
-diaphragm [dome shaped muscle forms the lower section of thoracic cavity, flattens around 1cm during quiet breathing can flatten up to 10cm during strenuous breathing
-contraction contributes around 75% inhaled air]
-external intercostals [raise and widen the rib cage, contribute around 25% inhaled air]
three different air pressures
-atmospheric air pressure
-alveolar air pressure
-intrapleural air pressure [pressure inside pleural cavity]
-all pressures are in mmHg [millimetres of mercury]
alveolar surface tension
-affects pulmonary ventilation
-water molecules bound by hydrogen bonds, a stronger attraction to each other than to gas molecules in the air
-this surface tension pulls alveoli slightly inwards [reduces their volume]
-must be overcome to expand the volume of each alveolus, surfactant secreted by type 2 cells help reduce this.
lung compliance
-affects pulmonary ventilation
-describes the ease of lung expansion [caused by the difference between intrapleural and alveolar pressures]
-high compliance = easy to expand per unit changer of pressure
-low compliance = difficult to expand per unit change of pressure
low compliance may be caused by
-scarring of alveoli usually caused by diseases such as TB
-increased fluid in lung tissue [pulmonary oedema]
-deficiency of surfactant [increased surface tension]
airway resistance
-affects pulmonary ventilation
-resistance caused by walls of bronchial tubes
-normally dilated during inhalation and constrict a little during exhalation
-modulated by ANS
-any narrowing of obstruction to airways increase resistance
-seen in asthma and chronic bronchitis
respiratory rates
-adults average around 12 breaths/min, moving around 500ml of air per breath
-adaptable to the demands of oxygen by the body
-volume of air can increase by 50x during peak exercise over resting values [volume increases per breath, number of breaths/min increase]
total lung volume can be divided into
-residual volume
-tidal volume
-inspiratory reserve volume
-expiratory reserve volume
residual volume
-not all air expelled from lungs
-volume of air remaining in lungs after forced expiration
tidal volume
-resting volume of air inhaled and exhaled
-represents air moved in one breath