THE PARTS AND FUNCTIONS OF

RESPIRATORY SYTEM

THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

* It is the system, consisting of tubes and is
responsible for the exchange of gases in
Humans by filtering incoming air
and transporting it into the microscopic
alveoli where gases are exchanged
* Your respiratory system provides the energy
needed by cells of the body to funtion
accroding to their designated tasks.

THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

The organs of the

Respiratory Tract
can be divided into two groups
STRUCTURALLY
** The Upper Respiratory Tract

** The Lower Respiratory Tract

* Nose

* Larynx

* Nasal cavity

* Trachea

* Sinuses

* Bronchial Tree

* Pharynx

* Lungs

THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

The organs of the

Respiratory Tract
can be divided into two groups
FUNCTIONALLY
** The Conducting Portion
- system of interconnecting
cavities and tubes that
conduct air into the lungs

* Nose

* Pharynx
* Larynx
* Trachea
* Bronchi

** The Respiratory Portion

- system where the exchange of
respiratory gases occurs

* Respiratory
bronchioles
* Alveolar Ducts
* Alveoli

The Respiratory Epithelium

THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

I.

NOSE
A. N a s a l C a v i t y
B. P a r a n a s a l S i n u s e s

II.

P H AR YN X

III. L A R Y N X
A. E p I g i o t t i s
B. V o c a l C o r d s
IV. T R A C H E A
v.

BRONCHI
A. B r o n c h i a l T r e e

VI. L U N G S
A. L o b e s o f t h e L u n g s
B. P l e u r a l C a v i t i e s
C. A l v e o l i

THE NOSE

THE NOSE
* It provides an entrance for air in which air is
filtered by coarse hairs inside the nostrils.
* It has 2 portions : the external and internal
* The external portion is supported by a framework
of bone and cartilage covered with skin and
lined with mucous membrane.
* The internal portion is a large cavity in the skull,

The Nasal Cavity

The Nasal Cavity

* Interior area of the nose; lined with a sticky mucous
membrane and contains tiny, surface hairs,
cilia. divided medially by the nasal septum.
* Nasal conchae divide the cavity into passageways
that are lined with mucous membrane,
and help increase the surface area available
to warm and filter incoming air.
Particles trapped in the mucus are carried to the
pharynx by ciliary action, swallowed,

Paranasal Sinuses

Paranasal Sinuses
* Sinuses are air-filled spaces
within the maxillary, frontal, ethmoid,
and sphenoid bones of the skull.
* These spaces open to the nasal cavity
and are lined with mucus membrane
that is continuous with that lining the nasal cavity.
* The sinuses reduce the weight of the skull
and serve as a resonant chamber to affect
the quality of the voice.

THE PHARYNX

THE PHARYNX
* The throat is a funnel shaped tube that lies posterior
to the nasal cavity, oral cavity and larynx;
and anteriorly to the cervical vertebra.
* It is composed of:
Nasopharynx uppermost portion
Oropharynx middle portion
Laryngopharynx lowermost portion

* It is a common passageway for air and food and it

provides a resonating chamber for speech sounds

THE LARYNX

THE LARYNX
* It is an enlargement in the airway
superior to the trachea and inferior to the pharynx.
* It helps keep particles from entering the trachea
and also houses the vocal cords.
* It is composed of a framework of muscles
and cartilage bound by elastic tissue

The
Epiglottis

The Epiglottis
* It is a large leaf-shaped piece of cartilage.
* A flap of cartilage that prevents food from
entering the trachea (or windpipe).
* During swallowing, there is elevation of the larynx

The Vocal Cords

The Vocal Cords

* Inside the larynx, 2 pairs of folds of muscle and
connective tissues covered with mucous
membrane make up the vocal cords.
a. The upper pair is the false vocal cords.
b. The lower pair is the true vocal cords.
c. Changing tension on the vocal cords controls pitch,
while increasing the loudness depends upon
increasing the force of air vibrating the vocal cords.

The Vocal Cords

* During normal breathing,
the vocal cords are relaxed and the
glottis is a triangular slit.
* During swallowing,
the false vocal cords and epiglottis
close off the glottis.

THE TRACHEA

THE TRACHEA

* It is a tubular passageway for air, located anterior

to the esophagus
* It extends from the larynx to the 5th thoracic vertebra
where it divides into the right and left bronchi.

THE TRACHEA

THE TRACHEA

* The inner wall of the trachea is lined with

ciliated mucous membrane with many
goblet cells that serve to trap incoming particles.
* The tracheal wall is supported by
20 incomplete cartilaginous rings.

BRONCHI

BRONCHI
* The Bronchi are the two main air passages
into the lungs.
* They are composed of the:
** Right Primary Bronchus
- leading to the right lung.
** Left Primary Bronchus
- leading to the left lung.

The Bronchial Tree

The Bronchial Tree

* The bronchial tree consists of branched tubes
leading from the trachea to the alveoli.
* The bronchial tree begins with the two
primary bronchi, each leading to a lung.
* The branches of the bronchial tree from the trachea
are right and left primary bronchi;
these further subdivide until bronchioles
give rise to alveolar ducts which terminate in alveoli.
* It is through the thin epithelial cells of the alveoli
that gas exchange between the blood and air occurs.

THE LUNGS

THE LUNGS
The paired soft, spongy, cone-shaped lungs,
separated medially by the mediastinum and are
enclosed by the diaphragm and thoracic cage.
2 layers of serous membrane, collectively known as
pleural membrane, enclose and protect each lung.
** Parietal Pleura
- outer layer attached to the thoracic cavity
** Visceral Pleura
- inner layer covering the lung itself

THE LUNGS
trachea

Right-3 lobes

Left-2 lobes

THE LUNGS
* The two organs that extract oxygen from
inhaled air and expel carbon dioxide
in exhaled air.
* This is the main and primary organ of the
Respiratory System.
* The bronchus and large blood vessels enter each lung.

Lobes of the Lungs

Lobes of the Lungs

* The right lung has three lobes.
* The left lung has two lobes.
* Each lobe is composed of lobules
that contain air passages, alveoli, nerves,
blood vessels, lymphatic vessels,
and connective tissues.

The Pleural Cavities

The Pleural Cavities

* A layer of serous membrane, between the
visceral pleura and the parietal pleura.
* It contains a lubricating fluid secreted by the
membranes that prevents friction between the
membranes and allows their easy movement
on one another during breathing.

The Alveoli

The Alveoli
* They are cup-shaped out pouching lined
by epithelium and supported by a thin elastic
basement membrane.
With that you can imagine having bunch of grapes
with each grape indicating and alveolus.
* Alveolar sacs are 2 or more alveoli that
share a common opening.
* This is where the primary exchange of gases occur.

Summary of FUNCTIONS
STRUCTURE
nose / nasal cavity
pharynx (throat)
larynx

trachea (windpipe)

bronchi

bronchioles

alveoli

FUNCTION
warms, moistens, & filters air as it is inhaled
passageway for air, leads to trachea
the voice box, where vocal chords are located
tube from pharynx to bronchi
rings of cartilage provide structure, keeps the
windpipe "open"
trachea is lined with fine hairs called cilia which
filter air before it reaches the lungs
two branches at the end of the trachea, each
lead to a lung
a network of smaller branches leading from the
bronchi into the lung tissue & ultimately to air
sacs
the functional respiratory units in the lung where
gases (oxygen & carbon dioxide) are exchanged
(enter & exit the blood stream)

THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY TRACT

Events of Respiration
Pulmonary ventilation moving air in and out of
the lungs
External respiration gas exchange between
pulmonary blood and alveoli
Respiratory gas transport transport of oxygen
and carbon dioxide via the bloodstream
Internal respiration gas exchange between
blood and tissue cells in systemic capillaries

Mechanics of Breathing
(Pulmonary Ventilation)
Completely mechanical process
Depends on volume changes in the thoracic
cavity
Volume changes lead to pressure changes,
which lead to the flow of gases to equalize
pressure

Mechanics of Breathing
(Pulmonary Ventilation)
Two phases
Inspiration flow of air into lung
Expiration air leaving lung

Inspiration
Diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract
The size of the thoracic cavity increases
External air is pulled into the lungs due to an
increase in intrapulmonary volume

Inspiration

Exhalation
Largely a passive process which depends on
natural lung elasticity
As muscles relax, air is pushed out of the
lungs
Forced expiration can occur mostly by
contracting internal intercostal muscles to
depress the rib cage

Exhalation

Nonrespiratory Air
Movements
Can be caused by reflexes or voluntary actions
Examples
Cough and sneeze clears lungs of debris
Laughing
Crying
Yawn
Hiccup

Respiratory Volumes and

Capacities
Normal breathing moves about 500 ml of air with
each breath (tidal volume [TV])
Many factors that affect respiratory capacity
A persons size
Sex
Age
Physical condition
Residual volume of air after exhalation, about
1200 ml of air remains in the lungs

Respiratory Volumes and

Capacities
Residual volume
Air remaining in lung after expiration
About 1200 ml

Respiratory Volumes and

Capacities
Vital capacity
The total amount of exchangeable air
Vital capacity = TV + IRV + ERV
Dead space volume
Air that remains in conducting zone and
never reaches alveoli
About 150 ml

Respiratory Volumes and

Capacities
Functional volume
Air that actually reaches the respiratory
zone
Usually about 350 ml

Respiratory capacities are measured

with a spirometer

Respiratory Capacities

Respiratory Sounds
Sounds are monitored
with a stethoscope
Bronchial sounds
produced by air rushing
through trachea and
bronchi
Vesicular breathing
sounds soft sounds of
air filling alveoli

External Respiration
Oxygen movement into the
blood
The alveoli always has more
oxygen than the blood
Oxygen moves by diffusion
towards the area of lower
concentration
Pulmonary capillary blood
gains oxygen

External Respiration
Carbon dioxide movement out of the blood
Blood returning from tissues has higher
concentrations of carbon dioxide than air in the alveoli
Pulmonary capillary blood gives up carbon dioxide

Blood leaving the lungs is oxygen-rich and carbon

dioxide-poor

Gas Transport in the Blood

Oxygen transport in the
blood
Inside red blood cells
attached to hemoglobin
(oxyhemoglobin [HbO2])
A small amount is carried
dissolved in the plasma

Gas Transport in the Blood

Carbon dioxide transport in the
blood
Most is transported in the
plasma as bicarbonate ion
(HCO3)
A small amount is carried inside
red blood cells on hemoglobin,
but at different binding sites
than those of oxygen

Internal Respiration
Exchange of gases between blood
and body cells
An opposite reaction to what occurs in
the lungs
Carbon dioxide diffuses out of tissue to
blood
Oxygen diffuses from blood into tissue

Internal Respiration

A Summary of
External
Respiration,
Gas Transport,
and Internal
Respiration

Neural Regulation of
Respiration
Activity of respiratory muscles is transmitted to the
brain by the phrenic and intercostal nerves
Neural centers that control rate and depth are
located in the medulla
The pons appears to smooth out respiratory rate
Normal respiratory rate (eupnea) is 1215
respirations per minute
Hypernia is increased respiratory rate often due to
extra oxygen needs

Neural
Regulatio
n of
Respirati
on

Factors Influencing
Respiratory Rate and Depth
Physical factors
Increased body temperature
Exercise
Talking
Coughing

Volition (conscious control)

Emotional factors

Factors Influencing
Respiratory Rate and Depth
Chemical factors
Carbon dioxide levels
Level of carbon dioxide in the blood is the
main regulatory chemical for respiration
Increased carbon dioxide increases
respiration
Changes in carbon dioxide act directly on the
medulla oblongata

Factors Influencing
Respiratory Rate and Depth
Chemical factors (continued)
Oxygen levels
Changes in oxygen concentration in the
blood are detected by chemoreceptors in
the aorta and carotid artery
Information is sent to the medulla
oblongata

Respiratory
Diseases

Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Exemplified by chronic bronchitis and
emphysema
Major causes of death and disability in the
United States