Unit 3 - Substance Exchange Flashcards
what is the physical breakdown of food?
food is ‘physically’ broken down into smaller pieces
increasing its surface area
by chewing, stomach churning & bile emulsification
what is the chemical digestion of food?
by enzymes
hydrolysing covalent bonds in large, insoluble molecules to form small, soluble molecules
describe the digestion of polysaccharides
polysaccharides digested by carbohydrases that hydrolyse the glycosidic bonds
1. salivary amylase produced in salivary glands digests starch into maltose
2. pancreatic amylase produced in pancreas digests starch into maltose
describe the digestion of disaccharides
disaccharides are digested by membrane-bound disaccharidases found in the csm of epithelial cells
1. maltase - maltose –> 2x alpha glucose
2. sucrase - sucrose –> alpha glucose + fructose
3. lactase - lactose –> alpha glucose + galactose
what category of enzymes are proteins digested by?
proteases that hydrolyse peptide bonds
- what is the function of endopeptidases?
they hydrolyse peptide bonds in the central region of a polypeptide
which forms shorter peptide chains
e.g. pepsin produced in the stomach
- where are exopeptidases produced & what is their function?
they are produced in pancreas & ileum
they hydrolyse peptide bonds at the ends of polypeptides on the terminal amino acids
which forms dipeptides & single amino acids
- where are dipeptidases found & what is their function?
they are bound in csm of epithelial cells lining the ileum
they hydrolyse peptide bonds b/w 2 amino acids of a dipeptide
what happens to lipids before digestion?
emulsification - lipids are split into tiny droplets by bile salts (produced in liver & stored in gall bladder)
increases surface area of lipids so lipase can work faster so hydrolysis is faster
then the tiny droplets are converted into micelles, which carry fatty acids & monoglycerides to epithelial cells
how are triglycerides digested?
by lipases which hydrolyse ester bonds
triglycerides –> monoglycerides + fatty acids
describe the absorption of triglycerides
- micelles contain bile salts, fatty acids & monoglycerides
they make fatty acids more soluble in water - micelles carry fatty acids & monoglycerides to epithelial cells lining the ileum.
- micelles break down, releasing monoglycerides & fatty acids, which are non-polar so can simply diffuse across the csm into epithelial cells
- triglycerides reform in ser & in the golgi apparatus, they associate with cholesterol & lipoproteins to form chylomicrons
- vesicles containing chylomicrons move out of epithelial cells by exocytosis & enter lymphatic capillaries called lacteals
how is the ileum adapted for the absorption of the products of digestion?
absorption of digested food (glucose, aas, fatty acids & glycerol move into the blood by simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion & some active transport)
ileum surface is covered in millions of tiny villi, which increases the surface area for a higher rate of dif./fac. dif./at
ileum is very long, which increases surface area & time for absorption to happen
how is a villus adapted for the absorption of the products of digestion?
csm of epithelial cells is highly folded into many microvilli
- increased surface area for insertion of membrane proteins: many carrier & channel proteins for fac. dif. & co-transport, many carrier proteins for at
- increased sa for higher rate of absorption
epithelial cells are very thin
- short diffusion distance so faster diffusion/absorption
blood supply & capillaries close to surface
- moving blood maintains a steep concentration gradient for faster diffusion/absorption
how are glucose & aas absorbed?
when there is a greater concentration of glucose/aas in the ileum than in the blood, these molecules can move down the concentration gradient into the blood by fac. dif.
when there is a greater concentration of glucose/aas in the blood than in the ileum, all molecules are transported against their concentration gradient by co-transport, which is allowed by active transport
describe the process of co-transport
- (3) sodium ions are actively transported from the epithelial cell into the blood by the Na+/K+ pump (carrier protein that requires ATP hydrolysis)
- this lowers the concentration of Na+ in the epithelial cell & creates a concentration/diffusion gradient for Na+ from ileum into the epithelial cell
- Na+ ions move into the epithelial cell from the ileum by fac. dif. & carries a glucose/aa with it by co-transport
- glucose/aa moves into the blood by fac. dif. down a concentration gradient using a glucose or aa channel protein
as the size of the organism increases, what is the effect on sa:v ratio?
decreases
what is fick’s law?
rate of diffusion is proportional to sa x conc. gradient/diffusion distance
how does sa increase the rate of gas exchange?
folds & branches
more membrane area over which exchange can happen
how does short diffusion distance increase the rate of gas exchange?
surface is often 1 cell thick so rapid gas exchange e.g. squamous epithelium & capillary endothelium
how is a steep diffusion gradient maintained?
ventilation & mass flow of air or water
rich blood supply by dense capillary network
what does the tracheal system consist of?
1- pores = spiracles
opened & closed by valves & regulate exchange of air & water
2- trachea(e) tubes supported by chitin to prevent collapse
3- smaller tracheoles increase sa
dead-end tubes
4- tracheoles extend throughout body tissues of the insect so oxygen is brought directly to respiring tissues/muscle fibres
how are gases exchanged in the tracheal system?
along a diffusion gradient (passive)
mass transport/ventilation
ends of tracheoles filled with water
describe the movement of gas along the diffusion gradient in tracheal system
when cells are respiring oxygen is used up so conc, towards the ends of the tracheoles decreases = creates a diffusion gradient
O2 diffuses from atmosphere to tracheoles to muscles
when cells respire CO2 is produced - creates a diffusion gradient so CO2 diffuses from tracheoles to atmosphere
describe the movement of gases by mass transport/ventilation in tracheal system
contraction of abdominal muscles in insects squeeze trachea
so mass movement of air in & out
maintains concentration gradient of O2 & CO2
how are tracheoles adapted for efficient gas exchange?
highly branched - increases sa
thin walls - short diffusion distance
permeable to oxygen
muscle cells around tracheoles respire anaerobically & produce lactic acid
which lowers the water potential of muscle cells so water carrying dissolved oxygen moves from tracheoles into muscle cells via osmosis
final diffusion pathway is in air rather than liquid, so it is faster
how do insects lose water & how do they limit this water loss?
water evaporates from the surface of insects’ bodies via spiracles (exoskeleton is waterproof)
thin, permeable surface with large sa for efficient gas exchange - but = water loss
adaptations:
1- spiracles can be closed by valves to reduce water loss
2- hairs around spiracles reduce water potential gradient
3- waxy waterproof layer covers exoskeleton of chitin
4- lower sa:v - minimise area over which water is lost
describe the structure & demands of fish
covered in scales & mucous so gas impermeable
quite large so small sa:v
high O2 demands to supply muscles for swimming
describe the structure of the gills
located behind the head
gill filaments stacked in a pile - supported by gill arches
at right angles - gill lamellae
how is water forced over the gills?
operculum - bony flap that acts as a valve to allow one way flow of water over the gills & is a tough protective layer
pathway:
water taken in through mouth, forced over gills & out through operculum
what are the features of the lungs?
ribcage - protects & supports lungs
trachea
bronchi
bronchioles
alveoli
what is the counter current exchange principle?
blood flows through the gill lamellae in the opposite direction to water flowing over the gills
so blood with high O2 conc. meets water, which has a max conc. of O2 so O2 diffuses into the blood
blood with low conc. of O2 meets water that has most O2 removed so O2 still diffuses into the blood
therefore
a diffusion gradient is maintained across the whole length of the lamellae
describe the bronchioles
branching sub-divisions of the bronchi
smooth muscle walls lined with epithelial cells so can constrict to control air flow to alveoli
describe the trachea
flexible airway
supported by C-shaped cartilage
which prevents trachea from collapsing when air pressure decreases when breathing in
tracheal walls are made of muscle, lined with ciliated epithelium & goblet cells that secrete mucous
why is the volume of of O2 absorbed & CO2 removed large in mammals?
they have a large volume of living cells
they maintain a high body temperature which is related to their high metabolic & respiratory rates
so evolved lungs
describe the bronchi
2 divisions of the trachea, each leading to a lung
cartilage rings, ciliated epithelium, goblet cells
describe the alveoli
tiny air sacs
lined with epithelium
collagen & elastic fibres b/w alveoli so they can stretch & fill when breathing in & spring back when breathing out to expel CO2-rich air
alveolar membrane is the gas exchange surface
describe the mechanism of breathing
inspiration:
when the air pressure of the atmosphere is greater than that inside the lungs, air moves in down the pressure gradient
active by muscle contraction
expiration:
when the air pressure of the lungs is greater than that of the atmosphere, air moves out, the pressure gradient is reversed
pressure changes are due to change in volume of the thoracic cavity due to internal & external intercostal muscles & diaphragm
what happens to the body on inspiration?
external intercostal muscles contract
internal relax
ribcage moves up & out
diaphragm muscles contract so diaphragm moves down & flattens
volume in thorax increases
so pressure in thorax decreases
air moves in down the pressure gradient
what happens to the body on expiration?
external intercostal muscles relax
internal contract
ribcage moves down & in
diaphragm muscles relax so diaphragm moves up
volume in thorax decreases
so pressure in thorax increases
air moves out down the pressure gradient
what is the formula for pulmonary ventilation (volume of air exchanged per unit time dm^3min^-1)?
tidal volume (dm^3) x ventilation rate (min^-1)
define tidal volume
volume of air exchanged during normal breathing
define vital capacity
max. volume of air exchanged from full inspiration to full expiration