RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Flashcards
respiration
obtain O2 for body cells & eliminate CO2
* build up of CO2 = toxic ➔ lowers pH
* veins (blue) still have O2 but much less
* arteries (red) still have CO2 but much less
types of respiration
external respiration
* pulmonary circulation: heart & lungs
* systemic circulation: throughout rest of body
internal (cellular) circulation
respiratory system composed of
- nasal passage
- mouth
- pharynx
- larynx trachea (w/ cartilaginous tissue for strength)
- lungs
- diaphragm
always leads to lungs
airways
trachea & larger bronchi: fairly rigid rings of cartilage to prevent collapse
bronchioles:
* no cartilage to hold them open ➔ makes them susceptible to collapse
* walls contain smooth muscles innervated by ANS
* parasympathetic stimulation constricts
* just sympathetic stimulation weakly relaxes
* EP relaxes
alveoli anatomy
alveoli: site of O2/CO2 exchange
* thin-walled flexible sacs
type 1 alveolar cell: large cavity that allows gas exchange
* single layer makes up alveoli walls
type II alveolar cell: produces alveoli fluid lining with pulmonary surfactants:
* weak detergent
* ↓ surface area to prevent collapse
* normalizes pressure
* prevents recoil
* disrupts H-bonding of water lining alveolar wall (mixture of protein & lipid) to prevent large bubble formation from smaller ones
alveolar macrophage protects alveolus & ensures clean air
* guard lumen
pulmonary capillary brings O2/CO2
* encircle each alveolus
* erythrocyte = RBC
* barrier separating alveoli & capillary = extremely thin & short distance to facilitate gas exchange by diffusion
pulmonary ventilation
lungs suspend in pleural sac in thorax
* pleural sac = extremely thin double-walled closed sac separating each lung from thoracic wall
* pleural cavity = interior of pleural sac
* intrapleural fluid = lubricant secreted by surfaces of pleura
* helps lung with movement & prevents friction
* helps with pressure regulation
ventilation pressure
- atmospheric (barometric) pressure: exerted by weight of gas in atm on objects in earth’s surface
-
intra-alveolar (intrapulmonary) pressure: w/in alveoli
-
changes produce flow of air in/out of lungs by diffusion
- if < Patm ➔ air enters lungs
- if > Patm ➔ air exits lungs
- boyles law: P & V are inversely related ➔ ↑P = ↓V
-
changes produce flow of air in/out of lungs by diffusion
-
intrapleural (intrathoracic) pressure: w/in pleural sac
- pressure exerted outside the lungs within the thoracic cavity
- Pintrapleural < P intra-alveolar
inspiration
inhaling
* external intercostal muscles & diaphragm only
* both intra-alveolar & intrapleural pressures drop 1 mmHg ➔ allows for more inflation
* contraction of EIM causes
1. ribs & sternum elevate ➞ ↑ side-to-side & up & out
2. diaphragm lowers ➞ ↑ vertical dimension
expiration
passive expiration during quiet breathing
* diaphragm, ribs, & sternum return to resting position
* inspiratory muscles relax
* restore TC to pre-inspiratory size
* via elastic recoil
* relaxation of diaphragm & intercostals muscles
active expiration ↓ dimensions of TC even more than resting state:
1. contraction of internal intercostals flattens ribs & sternum ➔ ↓ side-to-side & front-to-back dimensions
2. contraction of abdominal muscles pushes diaphragm up ➔ ↓ vertical dimension
intrapulmonary (intra-alveolar) & intrapleural pressures during respiratory cycle
- inspiration: P intra-alveolar < P atm
- expiration: P intra-alveolar > P atm
- at and of both: P intra-alveolar = P atm
- throughout: P intrapleural < P intra-alveolar
- ∴ transmural pressure gradient always exists ➔ lung is always stretched a bit even during expiration
lung volumes
TV = tidal volume: small amount we actually take in during inspiration/expiration
IRV = inspiratory reserve volume: V of air we can use during strenuous situations
- FOF
- exercise
IC = inspiratory capacity: max V we can inspire
ERV = expiratory reserve V ➔ forced expiration after normal expiration
RV = residual V ➔ volume that will be left over after we expire completely
FRC = functional residual capacity ➔ RV + ERV ➔ not actual amount we can use
VC = vital capacity ➔ TLC - minimum amount of air necessary for normal fx; amount of air we can regulate
TLC = total lung capacity
- dead space = non-fresh air; cannot be used by alveoli ➔ does not provide O2
ventilation
pulmonary ventilation (mL/min) = TV (mL/min) x RR (breaths/min)
- not all TV can be used by alveoli & contribute to ventilation ➔ only fresh air
- only ~70% of inspiration = fresh air ∴ only ~350mL fresh air reaches alveoli
alveolar ventilation (L/min) = (TV — dead space) x RR
- alveolar ventilation < total ventilation
- during hyperventilation alveolar ventilation = ~0 ➔ very little fresh air reaches alveoli, just reusing dead air
feedback mechanisms within lung match local airflow w/ local blood flow
gas exchange
- simple diffusion between pulmonary capillary & alveoli in extremely close proximity
- major determinant of rate of transfer = PP gradients of O2 & CO2
- SA of alveolar capillary membrane: ROT↑ as SA↑
- constant at resting conditions
- ↑ during exercise
- ↓ w/ pathologies
- thickness of alveolar-capillary membrane: ROT ↑ as thickness ↓
- normally remains constant
- ↑ w/ pathologies (pulmonary edema, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia)
- diffusion constant: ROT ↑ as diffusion constant ↑
- diffusion constant CO2 = 20x O2
- balances w/ smaller particle pressure gradient of CO2
alveolar air composition
- diff than atm: atm ➔ alveoli:
- %N ↓ ➔ same amount just diff ratio
- %O2 ↓
a. diffusing out for cellular resp
b. not all air = fresh air - % CO2 ↑
a. byproduct of cellular resp
b. deadspace - % H2O ↑ ➔ ↑ water vapor (moisture) traveling down resp airway
- biggest change in terms of relative proportion = CO2
- O2 & CO2 exchange across pulmonary & systemic capillaries through partial pressure gradients
gas transport
- most O2 transported bound to hemoglobin in erythrocytes: RBC
- hemoglobin = protein w/ 4 subunits (2⍺ + 2β) each surrounding a heme group (iron center)
- higher affinity for O2
- erythrocytes ≠ mitochondria ➞ must use glycolysis ∴ need energy for active pumps
gas transport: O2 vs CO2
O2:
- 98.5% bound to hemoglobin
- very low solubility in blood
- can loosely & reversibly bind to hemoglobin
CO2:
- majority as bicarbonate
- bicarbonate (60%) > bound to hemoglobin (30%) > physically dissolved (10%)
- higher solubility
- HCO3- produced as byproduct from rxn H2O + carbonic anhydrase (ca)
oxygen hemoglobin dissociation curve
- plateau of curve is where PPO2 is high (lungs)
- steep part of curve (0-60) exists at systemic capillaries where hemoglobin unloads O2 onto tissue cells
- PPO2 = main factor in determining % hemoglobin saturation
- ↑ % saturation where ↑ PPO2 (lungs)
- ↓ % saturation where ↓ PPO2 (tissue cells)
- O2 dissociates from hemoglobin at tissue cells
the bohr effect
- influence of CO2 and acid on the release of O2
- CO2/H+ can combine reversibly with Hb at sites other than the O2-binding site ➞ changes the molecular structure of Hb that reduces its affinity for O2
- ↑ CO2 & H+ at tissues shifts dissociation curve right
- allows hemoglobin to give up 1 O2 at ↓ PP
- during exercise less binding to O2 & more binding to CO2