Respiratory System Flashcards
What is respiration
The process of obtaining oxygen from environment and delivering it to cells
What are the 4 processes of respiration
Pulmonary ventilation
External gas exchange
Gas transport in the blood
Internal gas exchange
Air exchange between the atmosphere and the air sacs of the lungs; inhalation and exhalation. This describes?
Pulmonary ventilation
Describe external gas exchange
Oxygen diffuses from air sacs in the lungs into blood and carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood
Blood moves oxygen and carbon dioxide between the lungs and the body tissues
Gas transport in the blood
Describe internal gas exchange
Oxygen diffuses from blood tissue cells and carbon dioxide passes from cells into blood
What is the mode of gas exchange
Diffusion
What are the main components of the respiratory system
Upper respiratory tract
And lower respiratory tract
Upper respiratory tract is composed of
Nasal cavities
Pharynx
Larynx
Lower respiratory tract consists of
Trachea (windpipe)
Bronchial tree
Lungs
Pleura
Respiratory mucosa is a
Mucous membrane that lines the respiratory tract
Respiratory mucosa secretes?
What are within this lining?
Secretes mucus
Goblet cells within this lining
Cilia on mucosal cells beat in only one direction moving mucus?
Upward to pharynx for removal
What are the 5 structures of the nose
Nares (nostrils)
Nasal septum
Two nasal cavities
Mucous membrane and cilia
Paranasal sinuses
Nasal septum contains 3 portions which are
Superior portion; ethmoid bone
Inferior portion; vomer bone
Anterior extension; cartilage
Paranasal sinuses consist of? Where do they drain into?
Maxillary, frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal
Drain into the nose
*prone to infection
What are the 4 functions of the nose
Filters foreign bodies
Warms and moistens inhaled air
Contains sense organs for smell
Sinuses resonate the voice and lighten skull bones
The pharynx carries air to
Respiratory tract and food to digestive system
Nasopharynx location and what it consists of?
Superior portion behind the nasal cavity
-pharyngeal tonsils and opening of auditory tubes
Oropharynx location and consists of?
Middle portion behind the mouth
-palatine tonsils
Laryngeal pharynx location
Inferior portion
Opens into the larynx toward the front and into the esophagus toward the posterior
What are the 3 functions of the pharynx
Passageway for food and liquids
Air distribution; passageway for air
Immune protection
The larynx is AKA? Where is it found?
Aka voice box
Found between the pharynx and trachea
Framework of the larynx consists of
Cartilage
Vocal folds
What is the epiglottis
Leaf shaped cartilage that covers larynx during swallowing
The vocal folds stretch across the
Interior of the larynx
What is the glottis
Space between vocal cords
The functions of the larynx is
Air passage to and from lungs
Voice production
The trachea is aka
Windpipe
The trachea is a tube that extends from larynx into the thoracic cavity. What is it composed of? What does it conduct?
Composed of cartilage rings that hold trachea open
Conducts air between the larynx and the lungs
Blockage of the trachea occludes the airway and if complete causes
Death in minutes
The bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli together make up the
Respiratory tree
Trachea divides into
2 primary bronchi that enter the lungs
(Right bronchus is considerably larger in diameter than the left and extends downward)
Each bronchus branches into smaller and smaller tubes (secondary bronchi) eventually leading to
Bronchioles
Bronchioles subdivide into alveolar ducts and end in
Alveolar sacs (clusters of microscopic alveoli)
What is the hilum
A notch or depression found where the bronchus entered the lungs
-blood vessels and nerves connect with the lung here
What occurs at the alveoli
External gas exchange
(Single layer epithelium = east passage)
Bronchi and bronchioles facilitates
Air distribution
-passageway for air to move to and from alveoli
Alveoli allows for exchange of gasses between
Lung and blood
Some alveolar cells produce _____ to help reduce surface tension or stickiness
Surfactant
Right lung has how many lobes
3
Left lung has how many lobes
2
Surfactant deficiency disorder is a respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) of the newborn. Describe it
Surfactant is produced by specialized fetal lung cells starting at about 26 weeks
SO….. premature babies (earlier than 6 weeks) may not be able to facilitate lung expansion bc unable to produce surfactant
What is the pleura
(Bilayered)
Moist smooth slippery membrane that lines the chest cavity and covers outer surface of lungs
The parietal pleura is the portion attached to the
Chest wall
The visceral pleura is the portion attached to
The surface of the lung
Each closed sac completely surrounds the lung except at
The root of the lung
The pleura reduces friction between
The lungs and chest wall during breathing
What is the pleural space
What does it contain
Space between the two layers of the pleura
Contains a thick film of fluid that lubricates the membranes
Lungs and pleura function
Breathing
(Pulmonary ventilation)
What is pleurisy
Inflammation of the pleura
Presence of air in the pleural space that results in partial or complete collapse of the lung is known as
Pneumothorax
Hemothorax is presence of?
What does it result in?
Presence of blood in the pleural space
Results in partial or complete collapse of the lung
Pulmonary ventilation is movement of air
Into and out of the lungs
Pulmonary ventilation includes 2 phases
Inhalation (inspiration)
Exhalation (expiration)
Changes in size and shape of thorax cause changes in
Air pressure shut in it and in the lungs
As volume changes pressure changes in the
Opposite direction
Air moves into or out of lungs because of
Pressure differences (pressure gradient)
The diaphragm is a strong dome shaped muscle attached to the body wall around the base of the rib cage. What does it separate
Thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity
Inspiration muscles contract to?
What muscles are these?
Contract to enlarge the thoracic cavity
Diaphragm and intercostal muscles
Forceful inhalation also use the muscles of the
Neck to provide greater thoracic expansion
Upon inhalation the diaphragm _____ and moves _____
Intercostal muscles _____ and lifts ribs _____
Diaphragm contracts and moves downwards
Intercostal muscles contract and lifts ribs upward
The ease with which one can expand the lungs and thorax is decreased by
Disease that damage or scar lung tissue
Deficiency of surfactant
Fluid accumulation
What is a spirometer
Tool used to measure the volume of air moved by pulmonary ventilation
-determines individuals respiratory function
Lung volumes: tidal volume
The amount of air moved into or out of the lungs in quiet relaxed breathing
Lung volumes: residual volumes
Volume of air remaining in lungs after maximum exhalation
Inspiration reserve volume
The additional amount that can be inhaled by force after a normal inhalation
Expiratory reserve volume
Additional amount that can be exhaled by force after a normal exhalation
Vital capacity
Volume of air that can be expelled from the lungs by maximum exhalation after maximum inhalation
Functional residual capacity
The amount of air remaining in the lungs after normal exhalation
Total lung capacity
The total volume of air that can be contained in the lungs after maximum inhalation
What describes gasses moving between the lung alveoli and the capillary blood in the lungs
External exchange
Internal exchange describes
Gases moving between blood and tissues
Diffusion is movement of molecules from a ____ to _____ concentration
Higher to lower
What moves out of lung capillary blood into alveolar air sacs and out of body in expired air
Carbon dioxide
Blood is rich in carbon dioxide from
Cellular metabolism
3 methods of travel of carbon dioxide
-Bound to hemoglobin as carbaminohemoglobin
-Converts into bicarbonate ion
-dissolved in a solution
What moves out of the alveolar sacs into the lung capillary blood
Oxygen
Hemoglobin combines with oxygen, producing
Oxyhemoglobin
CO2 diffuses from the cells into the blood to be transported to the lungs in 3 ways: 10% is dissolved in the
Plasma and the fluid in the RBC
CO2 diffuses from the cells into the blood to be transported to the lungs in 3 ways: 15% is combined with protein of
Hemoglobin and plasma proteins
CO2 diffuses from the cells into the blood to be transported to the lungs in 3 ways: 75% dissolves in blood fluids and is converted to
Bicarbonate ion
Respiration is regulated by
Changes in cellular oxygen demand and carbon dioxide production
CNS Control; Control centre located partly in the medulla and partly in the pons of the Brainstem control what
Contractions of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles
What do chemoreceptors respond to
Changes in blood level of carbon discover hydrogen ion and oxygen
Central chemoreceptors are located where and respond to what
Located near the medullary respiratory centre
Respond to raised CO2 levels (hypercapnia)
Peripheral chemoreceptors are located where and respond to what
Located in carotid and aortic bodies
Respond mainly to decrease in oxygen levels
What has the most immediate effect in regulating respiration
Carbon dioxide
Oxygen becomes a controlling factor when its levels
Fall considerably below normal (aka high altitudes or lung disease)
What is normal respiratory rates for adults
12-20 times per minute
In hypoventilation concentration of co2 in blood is
High
Due to obstruction, drugs, high altitude, holding breath, disease
Anoxia
Total lack of oxygen
Epistaxis
Nosebleed as a result of injury to the mucous membranes
Croup usually affects children under 3. What is inflamed? Is it viral?
Larynx is inflamed
It is viral
