Unit 5 Flashcards
What does the respiratory system allow for?
- exchange of gases between the atmosphere and blood
- homeostatic regulation of body pH
- protection from inhaled pathogens and irritating substances
- vocalization
What are the 4 main processes of the respiratory system?
- Gas exchange between atmosphere and lungs (ventilation)
- Air moves into lungs→inspiration (inhalation) lungs increase in size
- Air moves out of lungs→expiration (exhalation) lungs decrease in size - Gas exchange between lungs and blood → CO2 and O2
- Transport of gases by blood→ CO2 and O2
- Exchange of gases between blood and tissues
What causes the lungs to expand in size?
inspiration (inhalation)
What causes the lungs to decrease in size?
expiration (exhalation)
What is the respiratory system involved in?
both ventilation and gas exchange
What is the conducting system?
Passages or airways that lead from external environment to the exchange surface of the lungs
What two parts can the respiratory system be divided into?
- Upper respiratory tract
- Lower respiratory tract
What does the upper respiratory tract consist of?
mouth, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx
What does the lower respiratory tract consist of?
trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, lungs
What is ventilation?
gas exchange between atmosphere and lungs
What is ventilation?
gas exchange between the external atmosphere and lungs
Where is the exchange surface?
the alveoli
What are alveoli?
tiny hollow sacs found at the ends of the terminal bronchiole
What is alveoli wrapped with?
wrapped with an extensive capillary network which covers 80-90% of the alveolar surface
Where does gas exchange occur?
gas exchange occurs by diffusion between alveoli and capillary
What are the two types of alveoli cells?
- Type I alveolar cells
- Type II alveolar cells
What are Type I alveolar cells?
large but thin cells, allowing gas to rapidly diffuse through it
What are type II alveolar cells?
small but thick cells, and they synthesize and secrete a chemical called surfactant
What is the primary function of alveoli?
the exchange of gases between themselves and the blood
What does the blood vessels of the pulmonary circulation allow for?
allows for gas exchange with the alveoli
What is pulmonary circulation?
- low oxygen blood exits the right ventricle of the heart
- the low oxygen blood then goes into the pulmonary arteries via the pulmonary trunk
- there are two pulmonary arteries; one to each lung
Why is the rate of blood flow through the lungs much higher than the rate in other tissues?
because the lungs receive the entire cardiac output of the right ventricle vs. the whole body receives the blood leaving from the left ventricle
this means that as much blood flows through the lungs in 1 minute as flows through the rest of the body in the same amount of time
Why is pulmonary blood pressure low compared to the systemic circuit?
because the right ventricle does not pump as forcefully to create blood flow as the left ventricle because the resistance of the pulmonary circulation is low
What allows for ventilation (inspiration and expiration)?
bones and muscles of the thorax (chest cavity)
What is the relation of the lungs to the chest wall?
the ribs and spine (chest wall) forms the sides and top of the cage
its a closed compartment; closed off at the top by neck muscles and connective tissue and closed off at the bottom by the diaphragm
the wall is formed by the ribs and intercostal muscles
What is the two lungs surrounded by?
the pleural sac
What does the pleural sac form around each lung?
a double membrane
What is pleura (the double membrane) filled with?
filled with pleural fluid which acts as a lubricant
What is Dalton’s Law?
Total pressure of a mixture of gases = sum of the partial pressure of individual gases
Where do gases move from?
gases move from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
What is the relation of volume and pressure of a gas?
they are inversely related;
if volume of a gas is increased, pressure of a gas will be decreased
vise versa, if volume is decreased, pressure will increase
What is the amount of gas to dissolve in a liquid determined by?
a. partial pressure of the gas
b. solubility of the gas in the liquid
What does partial pressure mean?
the pressure of an individual gas in a mixture
What is the formula for partial pressure?
Partial pressure of a gas = Patm( atmospheric pressure) x % of gas in atmosphere
eg. partial pressure of oxygen:
PO2 = 760 mm Hg x 21% = 160 mm Hg
What is Boyle’s Law?
P1V1 = P2V2
In the respiratory system, what does changes in the volume of the chest cavity during ventilation cause?
causes pressure gradients that create air flow
What is the driving force for air flow?
changes in alveolar pressure
What happens when you increase chest volume?
decrease in alveolar pressure, and air flows into respiratory system
What happens when you decrease chest volume?
increase in alveolar pressure, and air flows out into the atmosphere
Do lungs have muscles?
No, thus lungs cannot change volume on their own
Where are the muscles located then, if not in lungs?
the muscles are located in the chest walls, and contraction will change thoracic volume
What is the structure of lungs?
passive elastic structures (like balloons)
What does the volume depend on?
- the transpulmonary pressure
- the degree of elasticity of the lungs
What is transpulmonary pressure?
difference between alveolar pressure and intrapleural pressure
What is alveolar pressure?
pressure inside the lungs
What is intrapleural pressure?
pressure outside the lungs, in the intrapleural fluids
What role does airways serve as?
they serve an important role in conditioning the air before it reaches the lungs
What do the airways need to do?
- Warm air to 37 degrees C to maintain core body temperature and protect alveoli
- Add water vapour to air to prevent drying of epithelia
- Filter out foreign material
What are airways lined with?
Airways are lined with ciliated epithelia that secrete a watery saline solution
What are the steps of saline secretion by airway epithelial cells?
- NKCC (Na+, K+, Cl-, Cl-) brings Cl- into epithelial cell from ECF.
- Apical anion channels allow Cl- to enter the lumen.
- Na+ goes from ECF to the lumen.
- NaCl movement from ECF to lumen creates a concentration gradient so water followings into the lumen, creating the watery saline solution.
What is cilia covered with?
cilia is covered with a sticky layer of mucus that is secreted by goblet cells
- traps most inhaled particles
What does mucus contain?
contains immune cells that kill invaders
Where does mucus go?
Mucus is moved up to the pharynx, where it can then be spit out or swallowed.
If mucus is swallowed, how is the bacteria destroyed?
the mucus is transferred to the digestive tract where additional bacteria is destroyed
What is cystic fibrosis (CF)?
- inherited condition
- result of mutations in a Cl- channel
- the Cl- channel is defective
What does the defective Cl- channel cause?
prevents the appropriate secretion of water in the lumen to create the watery saline layer
- cilia are trapped in thick and slimy mucus, which blocks airways, creating difficulty breathing
- prevents proper removal of bacteria, causing repeated infections
What eventually happens to people with cystic fibrosis?
over-active immune cells start destroying the lung, which is lethal
What are the two steps of the respiratory cycle?
inspiration and expiration
What happens during inspiration?
- Somatic motor neurons trigger contraction of diaphragm and inspiratory muscles
- Thorax expands (thoracic volume increases)
- Alveolar and intrapleural pressure decreases
- lungs expand resulting in air flowing into lungs
What happens to the diaphragm during inspiration?
the diaphragm contracts and flattens
What happens during expiration?
- Impulses from somatic neurons stop.
- Diaphragm and thoracic muscles relax which returns thorax to their original positions (thoracic volume decrease, elastic recoil)
- Alveolar and intrapleural pressure increases
- Elastic recoil of the lungs decreases lung volume (air flows out of the lungs)
What type of process is expiration during quiet breathing?
expiration is a passive process (does not require energy)
What type of process is expiration during exercise or heavy breathing?
expiration is active
What does passive expiration depend on?
elastic recoil of the thoracic muscles and the lungs
What does active expiration depend on?
contraction of internal intercostals and abdominal muscles