Breathing and Exchange of Gases - Ch 17

1. Introduction
- lower invertebrates exchange O2 and CO2 by simple diffusion through body surface
- annelids use their moist cuticles
- arthropods use network of tubes
- aquatic arthropods and molluscs have gills
- fishes use gills
- amphibians may respire through moist skin as well
- reptiles, birds and mammals respire through lungs

2. Human Respiratory System

- external nostrils over upper lip
- nasal chamber through nasal passage
- nasal chamber opens into nasopharynx
- nasopharynx opens through glottis to trachea
- glottis covered by epiglottis during swallowing
- larynx (cartilaginous box) - sound box
- trachea occupies region in mid thoracic cavity, divides at 5th level of thoracic vertebra into L
and R bronchi
- bronchi undergoes repeated division to form 2ndary and 3tiary bronchi/ bronchioles
the whole system since the trachea is supported by incomplete cartilaginous rings
- terminal end of bronchiole gives rise to thin, irregular walled bag like structures called alveoli
- branching bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli compose the lungs
- double pleura covering over the lungs.
- pleura fluid helps reduce friction
- outer pleura comes in contact w thoracic lining
- inner pleura is in contact with lung surface
-lungs are placed in thoracic chamber (air tight)
dorsally- vertebral column
ventrally- sternum
laterally- ribs
on- diaphragm
- Steps:-
1. Breathing- through which O2 rich air is drawn in and CO2 is released
2. diffusion of gases in alveoli
3. transport of gases by blood
4. diffusion of gases b/w blood and tissues
5. cellular respiration

3. Mechanism of Breathing
-inspiration, expiration
- works based of variation in pressure gradient
- lung pressure < external pressure (inspiration)
- lung pressure > external pressure (expiration)
- diaphragm helps in creating this pressure gradient
- inspiration initiated by contraction of diaphragm (pulls down) which increases volume of
thoracic cavity
- increase in thoracic volume leads to decrease in intra pulmonary pressure
- relaxation of diaphragm (pulls up) decreases volume of thoracic cavity
- decrees in pulmonary volume leads to increases in intra pulmonary pressure
- healthy human breathes 12-16 times in a minute
- volume of air measured by spirometer

4. Respiratory Volumes and Capacities

* Tidal volume (TV)
- volume of air inspired/ expired during regular respiration
- 500ml is normal
- healthy man approx. 6000 to 8000 man of air / min
* Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV)
- additional amount of air person can forcibly inspire is 2500ml to 3000ml
* Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV)
- additional amount of air person can forcibly expire is 1000ml to 1100ml
*Residual Volume (RV)
- Volume of air remaining in lungs after forcible expiration, which is 1100 to 1200ml
*Inpiratory Capacity (IC)
- Total amount of air a person can inhale that is TV+IRV
*Expiratory Capacity (EC)
- Total amount of air a person can expire that is TV+ERV
*Functional Residual Capacity (FRC)
- amount of air that will remain in the lungs after normal respiration ERV+RV
* Vital Capacity (VC)
- Max amount of air a person can forcibly breathe after forced expiration.
- Max amount of air a person can forcibly exhale after forced inspiration.
* Total Lung Capacity
- Total volume of air accommodated in the lungs at the end of a forced expiration

5. Exchange of Gases
-exchange takes place in the lungs
-also occur between blood and tissue
-O2 and CO2 is exchanged by simple diffusion along concentration/ pressure gradient
-rate of diffusion depends on solubility of gases as well as thickness of membranes
-partial pressure: pressure contribution by a particular gas
- pO2 for oxygen
- pCO2 for carbon dioxide
Respiratory Blood
Atmospheric Air Alveoli Blood (Deoxygenated)
Gas (Oxygenat
O2 159 104 40 95

CO2 0.3 40 45 40

- since solubility of CO2 is 20-25 times higher that O2, the per unit difference in partial pressure
is also greater than O2.
- diffusion membrane is made up of : thin squamous epithelial, endothelium of alveolar
capillaries and basement substance. total thickness less than a mm
- therefore all factors favourable for diffusion of O2 from alveoli to tissue and CO2 from tissue
to alveoli.

6. Transport of Gases
-blood is the medium of transport for O2 and CO2
- O2 (97% carried by rbc and 3% dissolved in plasma)
- CO2 (20-25% carried by rbc and 70% carried in form of bicarbonate and 7% carried in plasma)
—Transport of Oxygen
- O2 binds with haemoglobin in a reversible manner to form oxyhaemoglobin. haemoglobin is
a red pigment present in the red blood cells.
- each haemoglobin molecule can carry upto 4 O2 molecules
— Transport of Carbon dioxide
- CO2 carried by haemoglobin in the form of carbamino haemoglobin

7. Disorders of Respiratory System

- Asthma: difficulty in breathing due to inflammation in bronchi
- Emphysema: chronic disorder in which alveoli is damaged due to which respiratory surface is
decreased; caused by cigarette smoking
-Occupational Respiratory Disorder: in industrial work like stone breaking or grinding, dust
produced is too much and defence mechanism of the body cannot keep up. long term
exposure leads to inflammation and fibrosis and thus causing serious lung damage; to prevent
this workers should wear protective masks.