PARTS AND FUNCTIONS OF RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Lungs The lungs are the main organs of the respiratory system. In the lungs oxygen is taken into the body and carbon dioxide is breathed out. The red blood cells are responsible for picking up the oxygen in the lungs and carrying the oxygen to all the body cells that need it. The red blood cells drop off the oxygen to the body cells, then pick up the carbon dioxide which is a waste gas product produced by our cells. There blood cells transport the carbon dioxide back to the lungs and we breathe it out when we exhale. Trachea The trachea is sometimes called the windpipe. The trachea filters the air we breathe and branches into the bronchi Bronchi The bronchi are two air tubes that branch off of the trachea and carry air directly into the lungs. Diaphragm Breathing starts with a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of the lungs called the diaphragm. Our diaphragm contracts when you breathe in. When it contracts it flattens out and pulls downward. This movement enlarges the space that the lungs are in. This larger space pulls air into the lungs. When you breathe out, the diaphragm expands reducing the amount of space for the lungs and forcing air out. The diaphragm is the main muscle used in breathing.

Nose -Inspiration and expiration usually occurs through the nose. The nose has main two functions: The cilia and hairs which line the nasal cavities trap dust and other foreign particles and the rich supply of blood surrounding the cavities warms the air before it enters the lungs. Pharynx - allows for separation of food and air. The epiglottis closes the trachea when we eat and opens when we breathe. Larynx - this structure sits on top of the trachea. Air rushing across two ligaments causes sounds that we shape into speech. It also called the voice box. Nasal Cavity The nasal cavity conditions the air to be received by the other areas of the respiratory tract. Owing to the large surface area provided by the nasal conchae, the air passing through the nasal cavity is warmed or cooled to within 1 degree of body temperature. In addition, the air is humidified, and dust and other particulate matter is removed by vibrissae, short, thick hairs, present in the vestibule. The cilia of the respiratory epithelium move the particulate matter towards the pharynx where it passes into the esophagus and is digested in the stomach. Epiglottis The function of the epiglottis is that it allows air to pass through the larynx and into the rest of the respiratory system. When swallowing food or drink, it covers the entrance to the larynx to prevent food and drink from entering the trachea (windpipe). Esophagus Food is passed through the esophagus by using the process of peristalsis. Specifically, it connects the pharynx, which is the body cavity that is common to the digestive factory and respiratory system with the stomach, where the second stage of digestion is initiated. The passage food takes from mechanical digestion in the mouth to digestion in the stomach. Its function though is to help and provide a place for the food to travel down to your stomach. Ribs The ribs have two functions that are important to the respiratory system. They protect the thoracic cavity. They also can aid in contraction and expansion of the cavity in order to exhale/inhale. As the diaphragm contracts, the thoracic cavity expands and the pressure inside the cavity decreases, allowing inhalation. As the diaphragm relaxes, the cavity decreases in size and the pressure increases, forcing air out of the lungs. Lobes in Lungs There are 5 lobes in the lung, 3 on the right and 2 on the left. The 'lobes' in the lung are basically just different sections which make up the entire lung. Basically the reason why it is divided up into parts is for anatomical purposes, and for the fact that each section functions as a seperate, but interconnected unit. Each lobe is divided by thin walls of tissue called fissures. In the right lung, there are the superior, middle and inferior lobes. The left lung however only has a superior and inferior lobe. The superior is at the top, middle is in the middle (in the right lung), and inferior at the bottom of the lung. Superior Lobe: The lobe of the right lung that lies above the oblique and horizontal fissures and includes the apical, posterior and anterior bronchopulmonary segments; in the left lung, the lobe lies above the oblique fissure and contains the apicoposterior, anterior, superior lingular and inferior lingular segments. Middle Lobe: Located anteriorly between the horizontal and oblique fissures and includes lateral and medial bronchopulmonary segments. Inferior Lobe: Located below and behind the oblique fissure and contains five bronchopulmonary segments: superior, medial basal, anterior basal, lateral basal, and posterior basal. Pleura The pleura is a slick, wet, shiny membrane. It is the outer most layer of tissue surrounding the lungs and also the inner most layer of tissue coating the chest wall. The pleura provide well lubricated surfaces of the chest wall and lungs to contact each other with minimal friction during respiration. Brochioles Brochioles break off the form the alveoli, which is how the lungs give oxygen to the blood. Control of airflow resistance and air distribution in the lungs is controlled by the bronchioles. Alveoli

The alveoli are the final and smallest part of the respiratory system. They hold the oxygen until the blood can come by and swap CO2 for oxygen. Capillaries are inside the alveoli, which allows the exchange with the blood. Alveoli are connected to bronchioloes, which are attached to bronchi, etc. Pulmonary Vein Carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium so it can be transferred to the aorta which takes the blood to the head and arms. Capillaries Capillaries are the smallest of all blood vessels and form the connection between veins and arteries. As arteries branch and divide into arterioles and continue to reduce in size as they reach the muscle they become capillaries. Here the capillaries form a capillary bed, which is a vast expanse of very small vessels forming a network throughout the muscle. However, unlike veins and arteries, their main function is not transporting blood. They are specially designed to allow the movement of substances, mainly gases Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide into and out of the capillary. Pulmonary Artery The pulmonary artery which carries deoxygenated blood Mucus The main function of mucus in the respiratory tract is as a part of the immune-system. The mucus traps incoming pathogens (disease causing agent). The trapped pathogen is then subject to the following processes: a) Enzymes (i.e. lysozyme) break down the pathogen (i.e. a bacteria). Antibodies (typically IgA) bind to and neutralize the pathogen, og elicit an immune response. The result is typically neutralization of the incoming threat, or initiation of further and more severe immune responses. b) In the upper parts of the respiratory tract, the mucus is transported by special cells with so-called cilias cilliac cells. The cilias are extracellular "arms" of the cells, and act by moving the mucus up towards the pharynx, where it is finally swallowed and digested in stomach acid. Stomach acid will neutralize most pathogens trapped in mucus. c) In the lower part of the lungs, the aforementioned cilia are not present. The cells there are non-ciliac. Instead cells of the immune system are plentiful in this region of the lungs, and here pathogens are digested and removed quickly and efficiently. The mucus of our lungs is vital for normal function, and like many other abilities of our body we only pay real attention to it once the good system goes bad. In people with pneumonias mucus production is heightened, and we must constantly cough to remove excess mucus. Annoying as this is, it serves a vital function in removing pathogens trapped in the lungs. Bronchial Cilia The bronchi in the lungs are lined with hair-like projections called cilia that move microbes and debris up and out of the airways. Scattered throughout the cilia are goblet cells that secrete mucus which helps protect the lining of the bronchus and trap microorganisms.