Respiratory and Digestive Systems Flashcards
what are the major functions of the respiratory system?
- gas exchange between blood and external environment
- passageways to lungs purify, humidify, and warm incoming air
what is the structure/function of mucosa
respiratory lining
- epithelium resting on a basement membrane
- underlying lamina propria made of areolar CT
How does the respiratory epithelium change down the respiratory tract?
becomes thinner from nose to the alveoli
1. starts as pseudo stratified ciliated columnar
2. changes to simple ciliated columnar
3. to simble cuboidal
4. to simple squamous
what structures are responsible for mucous secretions?
produced from goblet cells of epithelial lining and mucous and serous glands of lamina propria
what is the function of the protein mucin?
increases mucus viscosity and serves to trap dust, pollen, etc.
how much mucous is produced daily?
1-7 tablespoons
what immune defenses are found in mucus?
- lysozyme (antibacterial enzyme)
- defensins (antibacterial proteins)
- immunoglobulin A (antibody)
what is the nasal vestibule?
just inside nares,, sin and particle trapping hairs
where are olfactory receptors located?
in the mucosa on the superior surface
what are conchae and where are they found
projections on the lateral walls of the nasal cavity that increase surface area and air turbulence within the cavity
what separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity
soft and hard palate
what are paranasal sinuses?
cavities within bones surrounding the nasal cavity
what facial bones have sinuses?
- frontal bone
- sphenoid bone
- ethmoid bone
- maxillary bone
what are the functions of the sinuses?
- lighten the skull
- act as resonance chambers for speech
- produce mucus that drains into the nasal cavity
what is the pharynx?
muscular passage from nasal cavity to larynx
what are the three regions of the pharynx
nasopharynx: superior region behind nasal
oropharynx: middle region behind mouth
laryngopharynx: inferior region attached to larynx
what are the functions of the larynx?
- routes air and food into proper channels
- plays a role in speech
what is the function of the epiglottis?
- protects the superior opening of the larynx
- routes food to the esophagus and air toward the trachea
- when swallowing, the epiglottis rises and forms a lid over opening of larynx
what is the trachea?
- 4 inch long tube that connects larynx with bronchi
- walls are reinforced with shaped hyaline cartilage
- lined with ciliated mucosa
what is the function of the ciliated mucosa that lines the trachea?
- beat continuously in the opposite direction of incoming air
- expel mucus loaded with dust and other debris away from lungs
what are the layers of the tracheal wall?
from inner to outer:
- mucosa: pseudo stratified ciliated columnar
- submucosa: areolar CT with blood vessels, nerves, serous & mucous glands
- tracheal cartilage
- adventitia
what are the primary bronchi?
- formed by division of trachea
- enters the lung at the hilum
how do the right and left primary bronchi differ?
right bronchus is wider, shorter, and straighter than left
how do bronchi divide?
- primary bronchi
- secondary bronchi
- tertiary bronchi
- bronchioles
- terminal bronchioles
what are the structures of the respiratory zone
- respiratory bronchioles
- alveolar ducts
- alveolar sacs
- alveoli
how many alveoli does each lung contain?
300-400 million
what are alveolar pores?
openings providing collateral ventilation
what divide alveoli?
interalveolar septum
what are the layers of the respiratory membrane (air-blood barrier)
- thin squamous epithelial layer lines alveolar walls
- alveolar pores connect neighboring air sacs
- pulmonary capillaries cover external surfaces of alveoli
- on one side of the membrane is air and on the other side is blood flowing past
what are the cell types of the alveolar wall?
- simple squamous alveolar type 1 cells: 95% of alveolar surface area
- alveolar type II cells (septal cells): secrete oily pulmonary surfactant
- alveolar macrophage: leukocytes that engulf microorganisms
By what process does gas cross the respiratory membrane?
diffusion
what role do alveolar macrophages play in gas exchange?
add protection by picking up bacteria, carbon particles, and other debris
what is the function of surfactant in gas exchange?
coats gas exposed alveolar surfaces
where is the apex of the lungs?
superior portion near clavicle
where is the base of the lungs?
inferior portion that rests on the diaphragm
how many lobes does each lung have?
left lung: 2 lobes
right lung: 3 lobes
what are the two types of circulation in the lungs?
pulmonary circulation and bronchial circulation
what is pulmonary circulation?
replenishes oxygen and eliminates CO2
what is bronchial circulation
transports oxygenated blood to tissues of lungs
- bronchial arteries branch off descending aorta
- bronchial veins collect venus blood
what division of the nervous system innervates the respiratory tract?
autonomic nervous system innervates smooth muscles and glands
- sympathetic input from T1-T5 causes bronchodilation
- parasympathetic input from vagus nerve causes bronconstriction
How do the lungs remain inflated?
- interpleural pressure is low
- the chest wall is configured to expand outwards and lungs cling to chest wall due to surface tension of serous fluid
- lungs remain inflated due to intrapulmonary pressure being greater than interpleural pressure
what is respiratory gas transport?
transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide via bloodstream
what is external respiration?
gas exchange between pulmonary blood and alveoli
what is internal respiration?
gas exchange between blood and tissue cells in systemic capillaries
what are the two phases of breathing?
inspiration and expiration
what is occurring during inspiration?
- diaphragm and external intercostal muscles contract
- thoracic cavity expands
- external air is pulled into lungs due to increase in volume and decrease in pressure
what is occurring during expiration?
- as muscles relax, air is pushed out of lungs due to decrease in intra pulmonary volume and increase in pressure
- mostly passive process but can also be forced
how is forced breathing different from quiet breathing?
- requires contraction of additional muscles
- causes greater changes in volume and pressure and moves more air in/out of lungs
what are some examples of nonrespiratory air movements
cough, sneeze, crying, laughing, hiccup, yawn
how much air is moved in a normal breath
about 500 mL (tidal volume)
what factors can influence respiratory capacity?
size, sex, age, physical condition
what is inspiratory reserve volume
the amount of air that can be taken in forcibly over the tidal volume
- usually around 3100 mL
what is expiratory reserve volume?
amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled
- about 1200 mL
what is residual volume?
the air remaining in lungs after expiration
-about 1200 mL
what is vital capacity?
the total amount of exchangeable air
- TV + IRV + ERV
what is anatomic dead space?
the air that remains in conducting zone and never reaches alveoli
- about 150 mL
what is functional volume?
air that reaches the respiratory zone
- about 350 mL
what respiratory sounds can be heard with a stethoscope?
- bronchial sounds: produced by air rushing through large passageways such as trachea and bronchi
- vesicular breathing sounds: soft sounds of air filling alveoli
how is oxygen loaded into the blood in external respiration?
- alveoli always have more oxygen than blood
- oxygen moves by diffusion towards the area of lower concentration
- pulmonary capillary blood gain oxygen
how is carbon dioxide unloaded out of the blood during external respiration?
- blood returning from tissues has higher concentrations of carbon dioxide than air in the alveoli
- pulmonary capillary blood gives up CO2 to be exhaled
what anatomical features of the respiratory membrane contribute to the efficiency of gas exchange?
large surface area and minimal thickness
what is ventilation-perfusion coupling
- ability of bronchioles to regulate airflow and arterioles to regulate blood flow
- ventilation changes by bronchodilation/constriction
- perfusion changes by pulmonary arteriole dilation/constriction
what percent of oxygen in the blood binds to hemoglobin?
98%
how is carbon dioxide transported in the blood?
- most in transported in plasma as HCO3- (70%)
- a small amount is carried inside RBCs on hemoglobin but at different binding sites than oxygen (23%)
- remaining 7% is dissolved in plasma
how is carbon dioxide converted back from its bicarbonate ion form?
- bicarbonate enters RBC
- combine with hydrogen ions to form carbonic acid
- carbonic acid splits to form water and CO2
how does hemoglobin transport oxygen?
- oxygen attached to iron
- carbon dioxide and hydrogen ions bound to globin part
- binding of one substance causes a change in shape of the hemoglobin molecule
how many O2 molecules can each hemoglobin bind?
four O2 molecues
what is the oxygen-hemoglobin saturation curve?
- s shaped non linear relationship that shows that saturation increases as PO2 increases
what is the cooperative binding effect?
each O2 that binds causes a change in hemoglobin making it easier for next oxygen to bind
what is altitude sickness?
adverse physiologic effects from a decrease in alveolar PO2 and low oxygen saturation
how does the presence of 2,3-BPG influence oxygen release from hemoglobin
- binds hemoglobin, causing release of additional oxygen
- certain hormones stimulate erythrocytes to produce this molecule
what is the haldane effect?
- release of oxygen causes a conformational change in hemoglobin that increases amount of CO2 that can bind
what is a right shift?
a decrease in oxygen affinity for hemoglobin that can be caused by increased temperature or an increase in hydrogen ions
what is a left shift?
an increase in oxygen affinity to hemoglobin that can be caused by decreased temperature or a decrease in hydrogen ions
how does internal respiration occur?
- carbon dioxide diffuses out of tissue to blood (loading)
- oxygen diffuses from blood into tissue (unloading)
what are the organs of the GI tract?
- forms a continuous tube
- oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, anus
What are the accessory digestive organs?
- salivary glands, liver, pancreas
- teeth and tongue
- gallbladder
What are the main functions of the digestive system?
- ingestion
- motility
- secretion
- digestion
- absorption
- elimination
what are the tunics of the GI tract?
from innermost to outermost:
- mucosa
- submucosa
- muscularis
- adventitia
what are the sublayers of the mucosa?
- epithelium: simple columnar allows for secretion/absorption some portions that must withstand abrasion lined by stratified squamous
- lamina propria: composed of aerolar ct, blood vessels, nerves
- muscularis mucosae: smooth muscle deep to lamina propria
what is the submucosa composed of?
areolar and dense irregular CT, blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerves
what is the submucosal nerve plexus?
nerves and gangliea innervating smooth muscle and glands