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human structure and function > respiratory system > Flashcards

respiratory system Flashcards

1
Q

what is the primary function of the respiratory system?

A

to supply the body with oxygen and dispose of carbon dioxide

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2
Q

what are the four processes involved in the respiratory system?

A
  • pulmonary ventilation
  • external respiration
  • transport of respiratory gases
  • internal respiration
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3
Q

what does pulmonary ventilation involve?

A

movement of air into and out of the lungs

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4
Q

what does external respiration involve?

A

exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between air within lungs and blood

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5
Q

what does internal respiration involve?

A

exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between blood and tissues (ISF)

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6
Q

how can respiratory structures be classified structurally?

A

upper and lower respiratory systems

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7
Q

what does the upper respiratory system do?

A
  • clean, humidify and warm incoming air

- reabsorb heat and water

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8
Q

what does the lower respiratory system do?

A
  • conducts air to gas exchange surfaces (trachea and bronchi)
  • gas change
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9
Q

how can the respiratory structures be classified functionally?

A
  • conducting zone

- respiratory zone

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10
Q

what does the conducting zone of the respiratory system do?

A
  • passageways conduct air
  • cleanses, humidify and warm incoming air
  • reabsorb heat and water
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11
Q

what structures are apart if the respiratory zone?

A
  • respiratory bronchioles
  • alveolar ducts
  • alveoli
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12
Q

what occurs in the respiratory zone?

A

gas exchange

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13
Q

what does the nasal cavity contain?

A
  • hair
  • olfactory epithelium
  • sensory nerve endings
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14
Q

what lines the nasal cavity?

A

mucosal epithelium

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15
Q

what does hair in the nasal cavity do?

A

filters course particles from air

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16
Q

what does the olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity bear?

A

olfactory receptors

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17
Q

what do the sensory nerve endings in the nasal cavity trigger?

A

sneezing to dislodge irritants

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18
Q

what does the mucosal epithelium produce and how much per day?

A

mucus and ~1-1.5L

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19
Q

what does cilia do?

A

moves contaminated mucus to throat and stomach, protects respiratory zone from damage and infection

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20
Q

what does the nasal conchae increase and enhance?

A

increases surface area and enhances air turbulence

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21
Q

what are some key functions of the nasal cavity?

A
  • filters air
  • warms and humidifies
  • traps particulates
  • resonating chamber for speech
  • kills bacteria
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22
Q

what is the pharynx?

A

passageway for air (nasal cavity to larynx) and food (oral cavity to oesophagus)

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23
Q

what does the pharynx contain and what does this help do?

A

contains lymphoid tissue (tonsils) which helps protect against pathogens

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24
Q

what is the larynx?

A

cartilage that surrounds and protects opening of trachea

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25
Q

what are the functions of the larynx?

A
  • provides open airway
  • routes air and food into proper channels
  • voice production
  • includes mucocilliary escalator
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26
Q

what does the mucocilliary escalator do?

A

moves contaminated mucus upwards

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27
Q

what does the trachea include?

A

mucocilliary escalator

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28
Q

what is the trachea supported by to prevent collapsing during breathing?

A

C-shaped cartilage rings

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29
Q

what does the trachea divide to form?

A

right and left primary bronchi

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30
Q

do bronchioles have mucocilliary escalators?

A

no

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31
Q

do the bronchioles have cartilage rings?

A

no

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32
Q

what do the abundant elastic fibres in the bronchioles permit?

A

expansion

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33
Q

what does the circular smooth muscle do in the bronchioles?

A

allows diameter of bronchioles to be altered

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34
Q

what do capillaries and fine elastic fibres permit in the alveoli?

A

stretch and recoil

35
Q

what do alveoli form from?

A

type I epithelial cells

36
Q

how do alveoli connect to each other?

37
Q

what does alveoli do?

A

equalises air pressure in lungs

38
Q

what do scattered type II epithelial cells on the alveoli secrete?

A

fluid containing surfactant (prevents alveolar collapse) and antimicrobial proteins

39
Q

what is the respiratory membrane composed of?

A
  • single alveolar epithelial cell (type I)
  • basement membrane
  • pulmonary capillary endothelial cell
40
Q

what is the respiratory membrane the site of?

A

gas exchange via simple diffusion

41
Q

what is the apex of the lungs?

A

the narrow, superior tip

42
Q

where does the apex of the lungs lie?

A

deep to the clavicle

43
Q

where does. the base of the lungs rest?

A

on diaphragm

44
Q

where are the external surfaces of the lungs adhered to?

A

walls of thoracic cavity

45
Q

what is the entry and exit point from the bronchi, blood, lymphatic vessels and nerves to the lungs?

46
Q

what are the two circulations where blood enters the lungs?

A

pulmonary and bronchial circulation

47
Q

what are the lungs innervated by?

A
  • visceral sensory fibres
  • sympathetic fibres
  • parasympathetic fibres
48
Q

do sympathetic fibres in the lungs constrict or dilate the bronchioles?

49
Q

do parasympathetic fibres in the lungs constrict or dilate the bronchioles?

50
Q

where do bronchial arteries arise from in bronchial circulation?

51
Q

what do the visceral sensory fibres of the lungs monitor?

A

conditions of the lungs such as degree of stretch, presence of irritants

52
Q

what does the bronchial circulation system provide?

A

oxygenated systemic blood to all lung tissue except alveoli

53
Q

what is each lung suspended in?

A

its own pleural cavity

54
Q

what covers both the external lung and pleural cavity?

A

continuous plural membrane

55
Q

what covers the thoracic cavity wall and diaphragm?

A

parietal pleura

56
Q

what does the parietal pleura become as it covers lungs?

A

visceral pleura

57
Q

what is the pleural space filled with?

A

pleural fluid

58
Q

what are the three processes of respiration?

A
  • ventilation of lungs (breathing)
  • exchange of gases
  • use of oxygen in cellular metabolism
59
Q

what are the two phases of pulmonary ventilation?

A
  • inspiration/inhalation

- expiration/exhalation

60
Q

what is Boyle’s Law?

A

the pressure of a gas in a chamber is inversely proportional to the volume

61
Q

what are the five steps of inspiration?

A
  1. inspiratory muscles contract > diaphragm descends
  2. thoracic cavity volume increases
  3. lungs stretch
  4. intrapulmonary pressure drops
  5. air flows in to lungs
62
Q

how much does the intrapulmonary pressure drop by during inspiration?

63
Q

what are the five steps of expiration?

A
  1. inspiratory muscles relax
  2. thoracic cavity volume decreases
  3. elastic lungs recoil passively
  4. intrapulmonary pressure rises
  5. airs flows out
64
Q

how does air flow into the lungs?

A

down its pressure gradient, until intrapulmonary pressure is equal to atmospheric presure

65
Q

what does passive expiration involve?

A

muscle relaxation only, not contraction

66
Q

what does passive expiration depend on?

A

elastic recoil of lungs

67
Q

when does forced (active) expiration occur?

A

in physical activity or specific vocalisations

68
Q

how does surfactants stop lungs collapsing?

A

reduces surface tension of alveolar fluid

69
Q

how does pleural fluid stop lungs collapsing?

A

pleural fluid between the parietal and visceral pleura “sticks” the lungs to the inner wall of the thoracic cavity

70
Q

how does elasticity stop lungs collapsing?

A

elasticity of the chesty walls pulls thorax outwards while elastic recoil of lungs creates inward pull

71
Q

what are three factors that influence gas flow in airways to the alveoli?

A
  • resistance
  • compliance
  • alveolar surface tension
72
Q

what type pulmonary disorders can result from changes in resistance?

A

obstructive diseases

73
Q

what type pulmonary disorders can result from changes in compliance?

A

restrictive diseases

74
Q

what type pulmonary disorders can result from changes in alveolar surface tension?

A

respiratory distress

75
Q

what is pulmonary compliance?

A

is the measure of the ability of the lungs and/or thoracic cavity to expand/stretch and thus enable inhalation

76
Q

what does pulmonary compliance depend on?

A
  • lung elasticity
  • alveolar surface tension (surfactant production)
  • flexibility of muscles and joints of thoracic wall
77
Q

what is alveolar surface tension?

A

surface tension between water molecules in alveolar fluid

78
Q

what does surfactants do for alveolar surface tension?

A

reduces surface tension which prevents alveolar collapse and reduces effort required to expand alveoli

79
Q

do premature infants produce adequate surfactants?

80
Q

what is the treatment for premature babies that don’t have adequate surfactants?

A

spray airways with synthetic or natural surfactant

81
Q

what is the cause of obstructive disorders?

A

reduced airway diameter

82
Q

what is dyspnea?

A

difficulty breathing

83
Q

what is the cause of restrictive disorders?

A

decreased compliance of lungs and/or thoracic wall. inability to change volume and draw in air

84
Q

what does gas in the conducting zone move down a pressure gradient via?

human structure and function (21 decks)

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