Respiratory System Structures Flashcards
2 Major Functions of Respiratory System
1) Pulmonary Ventilation (aka breathing) flow of air into & out of lungs
2) Allow gas exchange (O2 & CO2)
How does carbon dioxide get into the blood?
What happens when there is too much carbon dioxide in the blood?
1) When oxygen enters the body it synthesizes ATP and the byproduct of ATP if carbon dioxide which needs to be removed by the blood
2) pH levels rise and body falls out of homeostasis
2 Types of Gas Exchange
1) Internal or Tissue Gas Exchange- exchange of O2 & CO2 between blood & body tissue
2) External or Pulmonary Gas Exchange- exchange of O2 & CO2 between blood and air in the lungs
What controls the Respiratory System?
Centers in the Medulla Oblongata & Pons
Average number of breaths per day
How much air is processed each day by our lungs?
- 20,000 breaths per day
- 15,000 liters (4,000 gallons) per day
7 Structures of the Respiratory System
1) External Nose
2) Nasal Cavity
3) Pharynx
4) Larynx
5) Trachea
6) Bronchi
7) Lungs
Upper Respiratory Tract Structures
Lower Respiratory Tract Structures
- Upper= External nose, Nasal Cavity, Pharynx, Larynx, Trachea
- Lower= Bronchi, Lungs
Functions of Upper Respiratory Tract Structures (5)
1) External Nose- encloses the chamber for air inspiration (mouth is part of the digestive system)
2) Nasal Cavity- cleaning, warming, and humidifying chamber for inspired air.
3) Pharynx (throat) - common passageway for food & air
4) Larynx (voice box)- rigid structure that helps keep airway constantly open, or patent.
5) Trachea (windpipe)- air-cleaning tube to funnel inspired air to each lung.
Functions of Lower Respiratory Tract Structures (2)
1) Bronchi- tubes that direct air into the lungs
2) Lungs- labyrinth of air tubes & a network of air sacs (alveoli) & capillaries. –> Alveoli= site of gas exchange
What makes up the Bronchial Tree? (4)
1) Trachea
2) Bronchi
3) Bronchioles
4) Alveoli
What are the subdivisions of the respiratory system base on function? (as opposed to location) (2)
1) Conducting Zone- all parts that conduct air but do not engage in gas exchange
2) Respiratory Zone- all structures that participate in gas exchange (Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, & alveoli)
4 Steps of Gas Exchange
1) Pulmonary ventilation (breathing)
2) Pulmonary gas exchange- movement of O2 out of air into alveoli & CO2 out of blood into the alveoli with air
3) Gas transport- CO2 & O2 travel into blood
4) Tissue gas exchange- within tissues, O2 leaves blood & enters cells while CO2 exits cells & into blood
Other Functions of Respiratory System (aside from gas exchange) (5)
1) Regulation of blood pH
2) Production of chemical mediators- lungs produce ACE enzyme which is important in BP regulation
3) Voice production
4) Olfaction
5) Protection- against microorganisms from entering the body & removing them from respiratory surfaces
Upper Respiratory Structures from top to Bottom (9)
1) Nasal Cavity
2) Nasopharynx
3) Soft Palate
4) Oropharynx
5) Epiglottis
6) Laryngopharynx
7) Larynx
8) Esophagus
9) Trachea
External Nose (4)
1) Supported by bone & hyaline cartilage
2) Covered with muscle, & skin
3) Lined with mucous membrane & nasal hairs (which help filter incoming hair)
4) External Nares- Nostrils
Internal Nose aka Nasal Cavity (3)
1) Bony enclosure within the skull formed by the Ethmoid, Maxilla, Palatine, Lacrimal, & Inferior Nasal Conchae Bones
2) Lined by mucous membrane & blood capillaries
3) Contains Internal Nares (2 posterior openings to Pharynx) & the openings from the 4 Paranasal Sinuses & from Nasolacrimal Ducts
Where is the mucous membrane that helps warm & humidify inspired air?
Lining of the hard plate that’s formed by the Palatine Process of the Maxillae and the Palatine Bone within the Nasal Cavity
5 Functions of Nasal Cavity
1) Passageway for air
2) Cleans the air- via hairs to trap large particles & secretions from goblet cells in the mucous membrane lining the nasal cavity which trap debris in the air (cilia then sweep mucous back to pharynx where it’s swallowed and eliminated by acid in stomach)
3) Humidifies and warms air
4) Contains olfactory epithelium
5) Helps determine voice sound aka Phonation (resonation/modification of speech sounds)
Function of Nasal Vestibule, Respiratory Mucosa, & Paranasal Sinuses
1) Vestibules- removes coarse particles (such as dust) from inspired air, preventing entry to lungs
2) Mucosa- Pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells that secrete mucus with antibacterial lysozome. Cilia moves mucus towards throat.
3) Sinuses- Spaces that lighten the weight of the skull & warm & moisten air
Pharynx (function, location, & regions)
1) Receives air from nasal cavity & air, food, & drink from oral cavity
2) Connected to Respiratory system at the Larynx & Digestive system at the Esophagus
3) Nasopharynx, Oropharynx, & Laryngopharynx
Nasopharynx (3)
1) Superior portion of Pharynx
2) Superior to the Soft Palate (partition that separates Nasopharynx & Oropharynx
3) Mucous membrane traps debris & microbes inside mucous which is swallowed & killed in stomach
Structures of Nasopharynx (3)
1) Soft Palate (most inferior flap)- prevents swallowed material from entering Nasopharynx & Nasal Cavity
2) Uvula (extension of Soft Palate)
3) Pharyngeal Tonsil (Adenoids)- posterior wall of Nasopharynx