Respiratory Systems Flashcards
what are the following events that are in the respiratory system?
- ventilation/breathing
- external respiration
- transport of gasses
- internal respiration/cellular respiration
what structures are seen in the upper and lower respiratory systems?
REVIEW ANATOMY
upper-system:
- nose
- pharynx
lower-system:
- larynx
- trachea
- bronchi
- lungs
what are the functions for respiratory systems?
- Gas exchange
- Acid-base balance
- Phonation
- Pulmonary defense and metabolism
Larynx
REVIEW ANATOMY
- “Voice box” is responsible for voice production, control of breathing, and preventing inhalation of foreign objects into the lungs
- Composed of 5 cartilage structures:
epiglottis
tracheal
arytenoid
cricoid
corniculate
trachea
- (windpipe) is a flexible cylindrical tube
- Composed up cartilage rings, that are rigid to prevent collapsing of the trachea
- Descending down to the thoracic cavity, it splits unto the R and L primary bronchi
- As a single tube, it goes from the larynx to a level just above the base of the heart
lungs
- Primary function, exchange of gasses, O2 and CO2
- Soft, spongy, and cone-shaped organs
Alveoli
Provides the surface area for gas exchange
what are the cell types in alveoli?
Type I cell
Type II cell
Pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs)
Type I cells
- dominant cell type (90%)
- are thin and create the barrier
- Unable to replicate and are susceptible to toxic insults
- Involved in gas exchange between the alveoli and blood
- In the event of damage, type II cells proliferate and differentiate into type I cells to compensate
Type II cells
- (granular pneumocytes) produce surfactant
- Increase pulmonary compliance
- Prevent collapse of the lung at the end of expiration
- Facilitate recruitment of collapsed airways
Pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs)
active phagocytic cells
Surfactant
- Maintains alveolar stability by reducing the surface tension of the alveolar lining
- Mixture of proteins and lipids
- During last portion of pregnancy, the surfactant is produced in the fetal lungs in response to fetal plasma cortisol
- In premature births, newborns can not produce
enough surfactant to allow for their lungs to expand
Process involved in gas exchange
- Ventilation requires muscle activity
- Respiratory muscles generate work to stretch the lung and overcome the frictional resistance to airflow
- Lung elasticity results from tissue and surface forces
- Airflow is opposed by frictional resistance in airways
- Smooth muscle contraction effects the diameters of the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles
What do the muscles of the chest, shoulders, diaphragm, and rib cage help?
they help alter the shape of the chest cavity creating a pressure gradient to allow air to flow freely into the lungs
Internal intercostal muscles: _______
External intercostal muscles: _______
forceful expiration
normal inspiration
diaphragm
- normal respiration; responsible for 45% of air intake
- During inhalation, diaphragm contracts and moves in the inferior direction, thus enlarging the volume of the thoracic cavity
Thoracic volume and inspiration events
- Inspiratory muscles contract
- Thoracic cavity volume increases
- Lungs stretched; intrapulmonary volume increases
- Intrapulmonary pressure drops
- Air (gasses) flows into lungs down its pressure gradient until intrapulmonary pressure is 0 (equal to atmospheric pressure)
Thoracic volume and expiration events
- Inspiratory muscles relax
- Thoracic cavity volumes decreases
- Elastic lungs recoil passively; intrapulmonary volume decreases
- Intrapulmonary pressure rises
- Air (gasses) flows out of lungs down its pressure gradient until intrapulmonary pressure is 0
During ___________ becomes ______ then atmospheric pressure and during _________ it becomes _______ than atmospheric pressure.
inspiration intrapulmonary pressure; less
expiration pressure; greater
Intrapleural pressure
pressure within the pleural cavity is slightly less than the atmospheric pressure
Tidal volume (TV)
amount of air that moves into or out of the lungs with each inspiration
Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
amount of air inspired with maximum inspiratory effort
Inspiratory capacity (IC)
IRV + TV
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
the volume of air expired after an active expiratory effort (in addition to TV)
Residual volume (RV)
the volume of air left in the lungs
Vital capacity (VC)
the sum of IRV + TV +ERV
Functional residual capacity (FRV)
ERV +RV
Total lung capacity (TLC)
VC + RV
Spirometry
different degrees of effort in breathing move different volumes of air in and out of the lungs
Relationship between exercise and oxygen consumption
This is a LINEAR RELATIONSHIP. It is not maintained with exercise and the number of breaths. At no or slow exercise, there is enough capacity in the system to not require increased rates of breathing to account for the demand.
Which of these structures is a part of the upper-respiratory tract?
Bronchi
Larynx
Pharynx
Trachea
pharynx
Surfactant_____________.
Reduces surface tension of the fluid lining in the alveoli
Decreases alveolar pressure
Makes inspiration more difficult
Can cause pneumothorax
Reduces surface tension of the fluid lining in the alveoli
What are alveolar macrophages?
To secrete pulmonary surfactant
To secrete antimicrobial proteins
To remove pathogens and debris
To facilitate gas exchange
To remove pathogens and debris
Which of these lung volumes/capacities is the largest?
Expiratory reserve volume
Inspiratory reserve volume
Residual volume
Tidal volume
Vital capacity
Vital capacity
The volume of air that cannot be exhaled from the lungs regardless of the magnitude if expiration:
Vital capacity
Residual volume
Tidal volume
Residual volume
The amount of air that moves into the lungs with each inspiration:
Tidal volume
Vital capacity
Total lung volume
Tidal volume
