respiratory system Flashcards
what is the primary function of the respiratory system?
to supply the body with oxygen and dispose of carbon dioxide
what are the four processes involved in the respiratory system?
- pulmonary ventilation
- external respiration
- transport of respiratory gases
- internal respiration
what does pulmonary ventilation involve?
movement of air into and out of the lungs
what does external respiration involve?
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between air within lungs and blood
what does internal respiration involve?
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between blood and tissues (ISF)
how can respiratory structures be classified structurally?
upper and lower respiratory systems
what does the upper respiratory system do?
- clean, humidify and warm incoming air
- reabsorb heat and water
what does the lower respiratory system do?
- conducts air to gas exchange surfaces (trachea and bronchi)
- gas change
how can the respiratory structures be classified functionally?
- conducting zone
- respiratory zone
what does the conducting zone of the respiratory system do?
- passageways conduct air
- cleanses, humidify and warm incoming air
- reabsorb heat and water
what structures are apart if the respiratory zone?
- respiratory bronchioles
- alveolar ducts
- alveoli
what occurs in the respiratory zone?
gas exchange
what does the nasal cavity contain?
- hair
- olfactory epithelium
- sensory nerve endings
what lines the nasal cavity?
mucosal epithelium
what does hair in the nasal cavity do?
filters course particles from air
what does the olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity bear?
olfactory receptors
what do the sensory nerve endings in the nasal cavity trigger?
sneezing to dislodge irritants
what does the mucosal epithelium produce and how much per day?
mucus and ~1-1.5L
what does cilia do?
moves contaminated mucus to throat and stomach, protects respiratory zone from damage and infection
what does the nasal conchae increase and enhance?
increases surface area and enhances air turbulence
what are some key functions of the nasal cavity?
- filters air
- warms and humidifies
- traps particulates
- resonating chamber for speech
- kills bacteria
what is the pharynx?
passageway for air (nasal cavity to larynx) and food (oral cavity to oesophagus)
what does the pharynx contain and what does this help do?
contains lymphoid tissue (tonsils) which helps protect against pathogens
what is the larynx?
cartilage that surrounds and protects opening of trachea
what are the functions of the larynx?
- provides open airway
- routes air and food into proper channels
- voice production
- includes mucocilliary escalator
what does the mucocilliary escalator do?
moves contaminated mucus upwards
what does the trachea include?
mucocilliary escalator
what is the trachea supported by to prevent collapsing during breathing?
C-shaped cartilage rings
what does the trachea divide to form?
right and left primary bronchi
do bronchioles have mucocilliary escalators?
no
do the bronchioles have cartilage rings?
no
what do the abundant elastic fibres in the bronchioles permit?
expansion
what does the circular smooth muscle do in the bronchioles?
allows diameter of bronchioles to be altered