Respiratory System Part I Flashcards
Primary Role of the Respiratory System
supply the blood with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the blood
Breathing
movement of air in and out of lungs
Alveolar Exchange
exchange of O2 and CO2 between air in pulmonary alveoli and blood in alveolar capillaries
Gas transport
transport O2 and CO2 between lungs and tissues
Systematic Gas Exchange
exchange of O2 and CO2 between blood in systematic capillaries and tissue cells.
Aerobic Respiration
use of O2 and production of CO2 during ATP production
Respiratory System is responsible for:
- detecting odors
- producing sound
- regulating blood pH
- trapping and defending the body from airborne pathogens.
Subdivisions of the Respiratory System:
- Upper Respiratory Tract (nose and pharynx)
- Lower Respiratory Tract (larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs)
Nose (Nasal bone and Septal Nasal Cartilage)
nasal bones support the nose bridge, other portion supported by septal nasal cartilage
Nostrils
external opening that allow air to enter and leave the nasal cavity; have hair to filter large airborne particles and insects.
Nasal Cavity
inner nose chamber
How many conchae project from lateral wall in nose
3
1. Superior nasal conchae
2. middle nasal conchae
3. interior nasal conchae
function of conchae
increase surface area and create air turbulence in nasal cavity.
Nasal septum
divides nasal cavity into right and left
Palate
separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity
types of palate
hard
soft
Olfactory Mucosa
mucous membrane containing the olfactory epithelium
Where is olfactory mucosa found
Lines the superior nasal conchae and superior nasal septum
Respiratory Mucosa
mucous membrane containing pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium.
Goblet cells (Respiratory Mucosa)
in the epithelium produce mucus, which moistens air and trap particles including microorganisms.
Where is respiratory mucosa found
lines the rest of the nasal cavity, larynx, trachea and bronchi
Who warms air in the respiratory mucosa?
blood vessels
Who moves trapped particles to pharynx where they can be swallowed?
Cilia; to be destroyed by gastric juice in the stomach.
Paranasal sinuses
air filled cavities in the bones around the nasal cavity.
Paranasal Sinuses include:
- ethmoid
- frontal bone
- maxialle
- sphenoid
Function of paranasal sinuses
- lighten the skull
- sound resonating chambers during speech
- Open into nasal cavity, which increases nasal cavity surface area.
- Lined with respiratory mucosae and the secreted mucus drains into the nasal cavity.
Where do paranasal sinuses drain, which are lined with respiratory mucosae?
nasal cavity
Pharynx (throat)
passageway behind the nasal and oral cavities, extending downward to the larynx and esophagus
What is the pharynx made of?
muscular walled lined with mucous membrane containing stratified squamous epithelium
Parts of the pharynx (3)
- Nasopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Laryngopharynx
auditory tubes
equalize aire pressure on each side of the tympanic membrane
tonsils
clumps of lymphoid tissue that occur at openings to the pharynx, site of immune response
Sets of tonsils (3)
- Palatine
- Pharyngeal
- Lingual
larynx
cartilaginous, boxlike structure; passageway for air between pharynx and trachea
What supports the larynx?
ligaments extending from the hyoid bone
Cartilages in the larynx (3)
- Thyroid
- Cricoid
- Epiglottis
Thyroid Cartilage
projects forward (Adam’s Apple)
Cricoid Cartilage
connects to trachea
Epiglottis
cartilaginous flap that keeps solids (food) and liquids from entering the larynx.
Vocal Folds (cords)
two bands of elastic connective tissue covered by respiratory mucosa.
Contraction of Vocal folds
Vibrate when contracted to produce vocal sounds.
Relaxed vocal folds
during resting breathing
Pitch (high or low tone)
determined by vibration frequency of the vocal cords
true or false: High frequency vibrations lead to high- pitched sound and vice versa.
true
Loudness
determined by vibration amplitude
True or False: The larger the amplitude the louder the volume.
true
Glottis
vocal folds and the space between them.
Vestibular folds (false vocal cords)
lie above the vocal folds.
Function of vestibular folds
keep solids and liquids from entering glottis.
True or false: vestibular folds play a role in sound production
false
Goal of the larynx
prevent solids and liquids from entering larynx and direct them into esophagus.
Changes that occur during swallowing
- Muscles lift larynx upward
- Epiglottis folds over to cover glottis
- Food is directed into esophagus, whose opening is located just behind the larynx.
Where is the esophagus opening?
behind the larynx
what happens if solids and liquid enter the larynx
coughing and choking
Trachea
airway that extends from larynx into thoracic cavity; branches to form right and left main bronchi
What type of cartilage supports trachea?
C- shaped tracheal cartilages
Function of C- shaped tracheal cartilages
- hold airway open during breathing.
- open portion of the tracheal cartilages allows esophagus to expand slightly during swallowing.
What type of mucosa lines the trachea?
Inner wall lined by respiratory mucosa.
function of the respiratory mucosa in the trachea
beating cilia move the mucus and entrapped particles upward into pharynx where they are coughed up and swallowed
Branching of Bronchi (main bronchi, lobar bronchi and segmental bronchi)
main bronchi enter its respective lung, branch into lobar bronchi,
lobar bronchi branch into segmental bronchi, one for each segments within each lung.
True or false: bronchial walls possess cartilaginous rings
true
what happens with the cartilaginous rings as the branches get smaller?
decrease
bronchioles
very small tubes lacking cartilage that branch from bronchi
True or false: do bronchioles have cartilage?
false; they have smooth musclethat aids in regular air flow
bronchoconstriction
contraction of the smooth muscle tissue, which decreases airflow.
bronchodilation
relaxation of the smooth muscle tissue, which increases airflow.
What type of mucous membrane lines the bronchioles?
mucous membrane containing simple cuboidal epithelium; can’t remove foreign particles effectively
alveolar ducts
branch from smallest bronchioles
pulmonary alveoli
tiny air sacs of alveolar gas exchange; O2 and CO2 diffuse readily through thin respiratory membrane.
true or false: bronchial tree and bronchioles play a role in alveolar gas exchange?
false; they are filled with watery fluid to aid diffusion
Surfactants (lipoproteins)
prevents pulmonary alveolar collapse during exhalation
How do surfactants work?
reduce attraction between water molecules (surface tension)
Who secretes surfactants?
great (type II) alveolar cells
Name of type I in alveoli?
squamous alveolar cell
How many alveoli per lung?
300 million pulmonary alveoli per lung
Surface area of alveoli
75 m2, holding approx. 5,800 ml of air.
Lungs
separated by the mediastinum; consists of pulmonary alveoli, air passageways, blood and lymphatic vessels, nerves and connective tissue.
Lungs are divided
left lung 2 lobes (superior and inferior)
right lung 3 lobes (superior, middle, inferior)
How many layers of serous membranes do the lungs have?
2
Name of the serous membrane
pleurae
Visceral pleura
firmly attached to the surface of each lung
parietal pleura
lined the inner wall of the thoracic cavity
pleural cavity
space between the visceral and parietal pleurae
pleural fluid
- reduce friction between pleurae as the lungs inflate and deflate.
- help hold the pleurae together
Breathing
Process that exchanges air between atmosphere and pulmonary alveol
how does air move?
along an air pressure gradient; high pressure to low pressure
pressures important to breathing (3):
- atmospheric pressure
- intra-alveolar pressure (intrapulmonar)
- intrapleural pressure
atmospheric pressure
pressure surrounding earth; 760 mmHg at sea level
true or false: atmospheric pressure decrease with elevation?
true
intra-alveolar pressure
air pressure within the lungs that fluctuates during breathing.
how are changes measured in intra-alveolar pressure?
measured in cm H2O;
what happens if pressure reaches -1cm H2O?
if pressure reaches -1 cm H2O, pressure has decreased 1 cm H2O below atmospheric pressure
what happens if pressure reaches +1cm H2O?
if pressure reaches +1 cm H2O pressure has increased 1 cm H2O, pressure has increased 1 cm H2O above atmospheric pressure
Intrapleural pressure
pressure within pleural caivity
Normal intrapleural pressure during breathing?
-5cm to -8cm H2O during breathing.
What is the function of intrapleural pressure?
- keeps lungs stuck to the inner walls of the thoracic cage.
- keeps lungs expanded even during exhale
what would happen if intrapleaural pressure equalled atmospheric pressure ?
lungs collapse (pneumothorax)
When lungs are at rest what happens with air pressure?
air pressure in the lungs is the same as the atmospheric pressure
Process of moving air into the lungs (inspiration)
when a person inhales and the diaphragm contracts and external intercostal muscles volume of the lungs increase, causing the air pressure in the lungs to decrease (intra-alveolar pressure <atmospheric pressure)
intra-alveolar pressure <atmospheric pressure
allows for air to flow from the higher air pressure in the atmosphere toward the lower air pressure within the lungs.
Process of resting respiration (tidal inspiration; process by which air is drawn into the lungs during normal breathing at rest)
the diaphragm contracts, moves downward and flattens, which increases the volume of the thoracic cavity
what happens when thoracic cavity size increases?
lungs are pulled along when thoracic cage expands.
increase in lung volume and decrease in intra-alveolar pressure -1cm H2O.
True or false: air inflow continues until both pressures are equal.
true
What muscles require forceful inspiration?
- sternocleidomastoid,
- scalenes
- serratus anterior,
- pectoralis minor
What happens during forceful inspiration?
contraction further elevate and protects ribs; greater increase in thoracic cavity volume
true or false: there is a greater increase in thoracic cavity volume and greater decrease in intra-alveolar pressure?
true; result in greater inflow into the lungs
