Respiratory System Flashcards
What is the major function of the respiratory system?
Supply O2 for cellular respiration and dispose of CO2
The respiratory system is closely coupled with which other system?
The circulatory system
What are the 4 processes that Respiration involves? (2 categories)
Respiratory system –>
1. Pulmonary ventilation - movement of air in and out of lungs
2. External respiration - exchange of gases between blood & air of alveoli
Circulatory system–>
1. Transport of respiratory gases - role of blood in transport of gases between lungs & tissues of body
2. Internal respiration - at the level of tissues, exchange of gases between blood in systemic capillaries and tissue cells
What is the conduction zone? (PASSAGEWAYS)
conduits that transport gas to and from gas exchange sites
What are the respiratory zone structures?
nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles
Apart from providing a passageway, what do conducting zone organs do?
Cleanse, humidify and warm incoming air
respiratory zone
site of gas exchange
What is the respiratory zone composed of?
respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli (microscopic)
What are the 4 functions of the nose?
- airway for respiration
- moistens, warms, filters and cleans air breathed in
- resonating chamber for speech
- olfactory (smell receptors)
Why is the shape of the external nose different for different people?
differences in nasal cartilage
What does the skin covering dorsal/lateral aspects of nose contain?
many sebaceous glands
What is the nasal cavity divided by?
The midline nasal septum
What is the nasal cavity formed by?
ethmoid and sphenoid bones of skull
What is the floor of the nasal cavity formed by?
the Palate –> anterior is hard; posterior is soft
What is the pathway for air through the nose?
air enters via external nares (nostrils) then goes via internal nares to the nasopharynx
What are the posterior nasal apertures? (choanae)
opening where the nasal cavity turns into the nasopharynx.
What are nasal conchae?
any of several thin, scroll-shaped bony elements forming the upper chambers of the nasal cavities.
What are vibrissae?
A whisker or vibrissae is a large tactile hair in a mechanically isolated hair follicle. Each whisker on the face receives a substantial, segregated sensory innervation from the trigeminal (fifth) nerve.
What are the 2 types of mucosa that the nasal cavity are lined with? and what do they contain?
- olfactory mucosa
–> contains receptors for sense of smell - respiratory mucosa
–> pseudostratified ciliated colomnar epithelium with goblet cells; lamina propria has seromucous nasal glands (1 L/day sticky mucus containing lysozyme)
What is lysozyme?
protein present in many mucosal secretions (tears, saliva, and mucus), and plays an important role in the innate immunity, providing protection against bacteria, viruses, and fungi
what do ciliated cells do in the nose?
They sweep contaminated mucus posteriorly towards the throat
what causes the ciliated cells to slow down their process in the nose?
Cold air slows down the sweeping of contaminated mucus – this causes a runny nose
What is the role of thin-walled veins under the nasal epithelium?
can cause someone to be prone to nose bleeds
What are the nasal conchae? (3 pairs)
several thin, scroll-shaped bony elements forming the upper chambers of the nasal cavities.
- Superior 2. Middle 3. Inferior
What triggers a sneeze reflex?
Nasal mucosa contains many sensory nerve ending nerves and these irritants trigger sneeze reflex to force particles out of cavity
What surrounds the nasal cavity?
Paranasal Sinuses
What bones are a part of the paranasal sinuses?
Frontal, sphenoid, ethmoid, and maxillary bones
What do the Paranasal Sinuses do? (responsible for what?)
lighten skull, produce mucus, warm and moisten air
What is a Sinus headache?
It is the passageways connecting sinuses to nasal cavity blocked –> air in sinus absorbed (partial vacuum)
The sinus mucosa is continuous with what? What does it cause?
Nasal mucosa. Spread of infections
What is the Pharynx?
It is a funnel shaped muscular tube.
It is a common pathway for food and air. about 13cm in length
What are the three regions of the pharynx?
- Nasopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Laryngopharynx
where can you find the nasopharynx?
Below the sphenoid bone, above soft palate