The Human Lung

Energy Needs

The body consists of trillions of engines Each cells needs glucose and oxygen The lungs serve as the supplier of oxygen

Energy Byproducts

In the body glucose is the main source of energy Carbon Dioxide is the main byproduct and is released from the blood by the lungs C02 drives the breathing rate not oxygen

Other Functions of the Lungs

Exchange of 02 and C02 Keeps the bodies pH (acid) constant Moistuizes the air

We can see our breath in the winter

Play a role in heat exchange Voice production (power of 1mW) Air for yawning sighing, laughing, sniffing

Breathing

We breath about 6 liters of air per minute

This is about the same as the heart pumps

Men breath about 12/minute Women breath about 18/minute Infants breath abut 60/minute

What We Breath In and Out

INSPIRATION EXPIRATION

80% 20% 0%

Nitrogen Oxygen Carbon Dioxide

80% 16% 4%

The lungs have a large surface area The convoluted surfaces have a surface area of 80m2 This is about the size of a tennis court

The lungs have a greater exposure to the environment than any other part of the body including the skin.

The air we breath contains dust, smoke, bacteria, noxious gases All come in contact with the blood.

The trachea divides in the right and main stem bronchus Each bronchus then divides 15 more times The terminal bronchioles supply air to millions of small sacs called alveoli

Alveoli

At birth the lungs have 30 million At age 8 the number is about 300 million That is about 100,000/day increase They stay pretty constant after that

Alveoli

They act as tiny interconnected bubbles. They are 0.2 mm in diameter The walls are 0.4 micrometers thick

Each alveolus is surrounded by blood so that 02 and C02 can exchange

The airways must be able to remove particles. The body does this in two ways 1. Coughing removes large particles

2. Small particles are carried upward by millions of small hairs called cilia. They vibrate about 1000/minute Mucous moves 1 2 cm/minute It takes 30 minutes to be cleared.

Kartagener's Syndrome

This is a lung disease that occurs when cilia are unable to move Individuals have abnormal or absent ciliary motion. Kartagener's Syndrome is also called Immotile Cilia Syndrome