Respiratory System Flashcards
Major functions of the respiratory system are
Supplying body with O2 and eliminating CO2
Pulmonary ventilation (breathing) is
The movement of air into & out of the lungs
External respiration is
exchange of O2 & Intake & CO2 between lungs & blood respiratory gases (the movement of gases)
The respiratory system is closely linked with
The circulatory system
The major organs of the upper respiratory tract are
Nose, paranasal sinuses, and pharynx
Marjor organs of the lower respiratory tract are
larynx, trachea, bronchi and branches, lungs and alveoli
Functions of the nose and paranasal sinuses
airway for respiration; moistens, warms, filters, and cleans incoming air; resonance chamber for speech; location of olfactory receptors
Contains the nostrils
External nose
Divided by the nasal septum and ends at the posterior nasal aperture
Nasal cavity
Part of nose and paranasal sinuses: contains sebaceous sweat glands and hairs to help with filtering
Nasal vestibule (anterior nasal cavity)
Part of nose and paranasal sinuses: contains 2 types of mucous membranes: olfactory mucosa (olfactory receptors) and respiratory mucosa (goblet cells)
Posterior nasal cavity
Part of nose and paranasal sinuses: contains mucosal surface area to filter, heat and moisten air
Nasal conchae
Part of nose and paranasal sinuses: surround nasal cavity; lighten skull, warm and moisten air, produce mucous
Paranasal sinuses
Air passageway; contains pharyngeal tonsil to trap and destroy pathogens; opens to auditory tube to equalize pressure in ear
Nasopharynx
Air and food passageway; extends from soft palate to epiglottis
Oropharynx
Air and food passageway; directly posterior to epiglottis; continuous wit esophagus
Laryngopharynx
Functions of the larynx
Open airway, routes food and air into proper passageways, produces sound via vocal folds/cords
Elastic cartilage of the larynx that closes during swallowing
Epiglottis (+ 8 hyaline cartilages)
Vibrate as air passes over to produce sound
Vocal cords
Vocal folds and the medial space between them
Glottis
Voice is produced via
Intermittent release of expired air and opening/closing of glottis
Pitch varies with
Length and tension of vocal folds
Higher tension means
Higher pitch
Loudness is determined by
Force of air
Valsalva maneuver
Glottis closes to prevent exhalation and abdominal muscles contract, causing intrabdominal pressure to rise
Trachea wall consists of
Mucosa, submucosa, adventitia
Epithelium of trachea wall is
Ciliated Pseudostratified columnar to propel mucus upwards to pharynx
Trachea is composed of which cartilage
Hyaline: supports and allows the esophagus to expand during swallowing
Function of the trachealis
Smooth muscle that compresses the trachea to help force air out of lungs
Conducting zone
Air transport pathways with no gas exchange
Primary bronchi enter
Each lung
Secondary bronchi enter
Each lobe of the lungs
Tertiary bronchi enter
Segments of the lobes of each lung
Final subdivision of bronchi
Bronchioles and terminal bronchioles
Structural changes as the airway becomes smaller are
- Decrease in supportive cartilage until absence in bronchioles
- change in mucosal epithelium from pseudostratified columnar to simple columnar to simple cuboidal
- increase in smooth muscle to alter resistance to airflow in bronchioles
Respiratory zone is where
Gas exchange occurs
Order of branches of the respiratory zone
terminal bronchioles feed into respiratory bronchioles → alveolar ducts → alveolar sacs that consist of alveoli
Alveolar cell that is a single layer of squamous epithelium and forms part of respiratory membrane
Type I alveolar cell
Alveolar cell that is cuboidal and interspersed among type I cells; secretes surfactant to reduce surface tension in lungs
Type II alveolar cell
Alveolar cell that phagocytoses any foreign particles that get in
Alveolar macrophages
Alveolar cell that allows airflow between adjacent alveoli get rid of debris in alveoli
Alveolar pores
Respiratory membrane is formed by
Capillary endothelium and alveolar epithelium
Alveoli are covered in dense web of
Pulmonary capillaries
Respiratory membrane is the site of
Gas exchange
Number of lobes in left lung
2 lobes (smaller for room for heart)
Number of lobes in right lung
3 lobes
Lung tissue is mostly air space with stroma “tissue” composed of
Elastic connective tissue
Pulmonary circulation carries
deoxygenated blood to the lungs to be oxygenated & brings oxygenated blood back to the heart
Bronchial circulation provides
oxygenated blood to the lung tissue (originating from aorta)
Bronchoconstriction is induced by the
Parasympathetic system
Bronchodilation is induced by the
Sympathetic system
Visceral sensory fibres provide
Information about the lungs to the brain
Visceral pleura
covers the external lung surface
Parietal pleura
covers the thoracic wall, diaphragm & around heart between the lungs
