Why do we need a gas exchange system?

Gas exchange: The movement of gases between an organism and its environment, e.g. the intake
of oxygen and the loss of carbon dioxide (usually occurring through specialised gas exchange
surfaces e.g. the lungs).
Single-celled organisms gain their oxygen by diffusion from fluids outside of the cell. However, in
multicellular organisms most cells are too far away from the external environment for oxygen to
diffuse to them.
Mammals have evolved specialised surfaces called lungs to insure an efficient gas exchange
between the air and the blood.
The human gas exchange is adapted to:
- Clean and warm the air that enters during breathing.
- Maximise the surface area for the diffusion of O2 and CO2 between the blood and the
atmosphere.
- Minimise the distance for diffusion.
- Maintain adequate gradients for diffusion.
The Pathway of Air
The lungs are located in the thoracic cavity surrounded by the pleural membranes which enclose
an airtight space. This space contains a small quantity of fluid and allows friction-free movement
as the lungs are ventilated by the diaphragm and ribs.
They are supported and protected by a boney box called the rib cage. The ribs can be moved by
the muscles between them called the intercostal muscles. This enables the lungs to be
ventilated insuring that the air within them is constantly changed.
The following outlines how air travels to and from the lungs:
1. Nose or mouth
2. Pharynx
3. Larynx (voice box)
4. Trachea: A flexible airway supported by C-shaped pieces of cartilage. The C-shape
allows the oesophagus to expand when food passes along.
5. Bronchi (s. bronchus): One enters each lung. Their structure resembles that of the
trachea, but their cartilage forms in irregular blocks and they are smaller.
6. Bronchioles
7. Terminal bronchioles
8. Respiratory bronchioles
9. Alveolar duct
10. Alveoli
Structure of the Airway
Airway

Number
and size

Cartilage

goblet
cells

smooth
muscle

Cilia

Site of gas Elastic

exchange fibres

Trachea

One
(1.8 cm)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Bronchus

Two (1.2
cm)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Terminal
Bronchiole

More and
smaller

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Respiratory Even more

bronchiole and even
smaller

No

No

No

Very few

No

Yes

Alveolar
duct

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Even more
and even
smaller

Airway

Number
and size

Cartilage

goblet
cells

smooth
muscle

Cilia

Site of gas Elastic

exchange fibres

Alveoli

Even more
and even
smaller

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes