: Respiratory System

Working Together
The respiratory system works with the cardiovascular system to exchange gases
between the air and blood (external respiration) and between blood and tissue
fluids (internal respiration).

The Pharynx
The pharynx is a passageway from the nasal cavities to oral cavities and to the
larynx
It contains the tonsils (what do they do again?)
The pharynx takes
o air from the nose to the larynx and takes food from the oral cavity to the
esophagus

The Larynx
Contains vocal cords
The epiglottis covers the glottis, an opening to the larynx
In young men, rapid growth of the larynx and vocal cords changes the voice


The Trachea
The trachea, supported by C-shaped cartilaginous rings, is lined by ciliated cells
which sweep impurities up toward the pharynx.
The trachea takes air to the bronchial tree.
Blockage of the trachea requires an operation to form an opening, a
tracheostomy.

The Bronchial Tree
The right and left primary bronchi divide into ever smaller bronchioles to
conduct air to the alveoli
An asthma attack occurs when smith muscles in the bronchioles constrict and
cause wheezing.
The Lung
Lung lie on either side of the heart and within the thoracic cavity.
The right lung has three lobes,
the left lung has two (come up
with a thoughtful reason for this
aka, why? [Answer uploading
in the next update])
The lungs are bounded by the
ribs and diaphragm.

The Alveoli
Alveoli are the air sacs lined by
squamous epithelium and
surrounded by blood capillaries.
Alveoli function in gas
exchange, oxygen diffusing into
bloodstream and carbon dioxide
diffusing out.
Infant respiratory distress
syndrome occurs in premature
infants where underdeveloped
lungs lack surfactant lipoprotein
and collapse.

15.1 Questions
1) Why does crying produce a runny nose?
The tear (lacrimal) glands drain into the nasal cavities by way of tear ducts. For this reason,
crying produces a runny nose.

2) What causes a sinus headache?
Sinuses are air-filled spaces in the nose that reduce the weight of the skull and act as
resonating chambers for the voice. A sinus headache is cause by malfunctioning of sinuses
which increases the weight of the skull and thus case headache.

3) What affect does smoking have on cilia?
The cilia that project from the epithelium keep the lungs clean by sweeping mucus,
produced by goblet cells, and debris toward the pharynx. Smoking is known to destroy
these cilia, and consequently, the toxins in cigarette smoke collect in the lungs.

4) Why is surface tension important in breathing? What role does surfactant play in
this? What role does the pleura play in this?
Each lung is covered by a very thin serous membrane called a pleura. Another pleura covers
the internal chest wall diaphragm; both membranes produce a lubricating serous fluid that
helps the pleurae slide freely against each other during inspiration and expiration.
Surface tension is the tendency for water molecules to cling to each other due to hydrogen
bonding between the molecules. Surface tension holds the two pleural layers together
when the lungs recoil during expiration. Gas exchange takes place across moist cellular
membranes, and yet the surface tension of water lining the alveoli is capable of causing
them to close up. The alveoli are lined with surfactant, a film of lipoprotein that lowers the
surface tension and prevents them from closing.
Spirometer
A spirometer allows measurement of the components of air during breathing
Respiratory Volumes
Tidal volume, the normal amount of air moved in and out of the lungs when
relaxed, is usually about 500 ml.
Vital capacity is the maximum amount of air moved in and out on deep breathing
Inspiratory reserve volume is the maximum amount of forced inspired air
Expiratory reserve volume is the maximum amount of forced expired air
Vital capacity is the sum of tidal, inspiratory reserve, and expiratory reserve volumes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndf7Mn_eBOI
Inspiration
When we inhale (inspiration) impulses from the respiratory center in the medulla
oblongata cause the rib cage to ride and the diaphragm to lower, causing the
thoracic cavity to expand. The negative pressure or partial vacuum causes the air to
come in
Presence of CO2 and H+ increases breathing rate.

Expiration
When we exhale (expiration), lack of impulses from the respiratory center allow the
rib cage to lower and diaphragm to resume dome shape
The elastic lung recoil and air goes out
A deep breath causes alveoli to stretch; stretch receptors then inhibit the respiratory
center.
Control of Ventilation
The rhythm of ventilation is controlled by the
respiratory center in the medulla oblongata of
the brain
The respiratory center is sensitive to levels of
carbon dioxide and hydrogen ions in the
blood (aka - chemical input in addition to
nervous input)
The thoracic cavity is bounded by the rib cage
and diaphragm
Pleural membranes line the thoracic cavity and lungs and the intrapleural pressure is
lower than atmospheric pressure, keeping the lobules from collapsing
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipkSJi9l9PY

15.2 Questions
What is residual volume? Why is
this air not useful for
respiration?
The residual volume is not
as useful for gas exchange
because it has been
depleted of oxygen. In some
lung diseases, the residual
volume builds up because
the individual has difficulty
emptying the lungs. This
means that the vital capacity
is reduced because the
lungs have more residual
volume.
External Respiration
Gases exert pressure proportional to their portion of total pressure; this is called
partial pressure. (P
O2
and P
CO2
) (recall: High partial pressure = push, low partial
pressure = pull)
External respiration is the diffusion of CO
2
from pulmonary capillaries into alveolar
sacs and O
2
from alveolar sacs into pulmonary capillaries, in both cases solely
because the partial pressures are higher causing diffusion across the capillary wall
Refers to gas exchange between air in alveoli and pulmonary capillaries (aka lungs)
Most CO
2
is carried as bicarbonate ions (H
2
CO
3
) in the blood
The enzyme carbonic anhydrase speeds up the conversion of bicarbonate and
hydrogen ions to water and carbon dioxide gas/
H
+
+ HCO
3
-
-> H
2
CO
3
-> H
2
O + CO
2

hydrogen ion + bicarbonate ion -> carbonic acid -> carbonic anhydrase -> water +
carbon dioxide
Oxyhemoglobin
Hemoglobin takes up oxygen and becomes oxyhemoglobin
O
2
diffuses into plasma and then into red blood cells in the lungs due to P
O2
in alveoli
being higher than P
O2
in alveoli being higher than P
O2
in pulmonary capillaries
Hb

+ O
2
-> Hb

O
2

deoxyhemoglobin + oxygen -> oxyhemoglobin
Reduced Hemoglobin
The globin portion of
hemoglobin combines with
excess hydrogen ions to
become reduced
hemoglobin or HHb
Internal Respiration
Internal respiration is the
diffusion of O
2
from systemic
capillaries into tissues and CO
2

from tissue field into systemic
capillaries
P
CO2
is greater in the tissues than
in the blood
15.3 Questions
1) What process is solely responsible for the movement of O2 and CO2 into and out of
cells and alveoli?
2) What happens when you hyperventilate? Hypoventilate?
3) In the lungs, using the terms PCO2, PO2 and alveoli, explain why CO2 leaves the
circulatory system and why O2 enters it?
4) Why is PCO2 greater in the blood than in the tissues near the lungs?
5) What happens the HbO2 as it nears a cell that is doing a lot of work in your body? Talk
about PCO2 and PO2 in the cell and in the circulatory system, and relates this to HbO2.
6) What is reduced hemoglobin, and how does it affect pH?