Respiratory System Flashcards
At a cellular level the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs
By simple diffusion across the plasma membrane
Ventilation
Simple movement of air into and out of the lungs
Respiration
Actual exchange of gases (between the lungs and blood or the blood and other tissues)
Conduction zone
Participate ONLY in ventilation
Respiratory zone
Participate ONLY in gas exchange/respiration
Tasks of the respiratory system (40
pH regulation
Thermoregulation
Respiration/ventilation
Protection from disease and particles
Respiratory alkalosis
Hyperventilation (too much breathing) causes pH of the blood to increase because CO2 converted into carbonic acid is expelled
Respiratory acidosis
Hypoventilation (too little breathing) causes acidification of the blood because the carbonic acid from CO2 is not expelled
Thermoregulation by. the respiratory system
Breathing can result in heat loss via evaporative water loss
Mucociliary escalator and alveolar macrophages
Protect us from harmful inhaled particles
Inhaled air follows this pathway:
nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, terminal bronchioles, respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveoli
Pharynx
Throat
Larynx 3 functions
Below pharynx
Cartilage portion keeps airway open
Epiglottis seals the trachea during swallowing to prevent entry of food into respiratory system
Vocal cords prod. sound
Trachea
Remains open to permit air flow rings of cartilage prevent its collapse
Primary bronchi
Two trachea branches each going to one lung
Bronchioles
Very small bronchi made of smooth muscle allowing regulation of airflow into the system
Too thick of walls to allow respiration, only ventilation occurs
Terminal bronchioles
Final branches of conduction zone
Alveolus (alveoli plural)
Structures in which gas diffuses walls are only one cell thick
Alveolar duct
Duct leading to the alveoli from the respiratory bronchiole
Respiratory bronchiole
Smooth muscle tube similar to the terminal bronchioles except it has alveoli on the walls allowing gas exchange
Entire respiratory track is lined with
Epithelial cells
Epithelial cells in the respiratory track from the nose to the bronchioles are columnar meaning
Too thick to exchange in gas exchange, only provide a conduit for air
Goblet cells
Specialized columnar epithelial cells that secrete mucus
Mucociliary escalator
Upper respiratory track epithelial cells have cilia to sweep the mucus toward the pharynx where it is coughed out as mucus
Simple squamous epithelial cells
Single layer of cells that allows respiration
Principle lining of the alveoli walls